A Sound of Thunder
by tempomental
Summary: "Bye-bye, little… actually, that's your line, isn't it? Sorry." Ladybug stared at the man in front of her. Tall. Shaggy, but not unkempt blond hair. Oh yeah, and he was wearing a Ladybug costume. "Who - who are you?" "Oh, right, sorry." He drew himself up to his full height and proudly announced, "My name is Adrien Agreste, and I've come from the future to rescue you!"
1. Prologue

**Prologue - 2025**

Three heroes met in a nondescript Paris warehouse. The sun outside the window had begun to set, washing the interior in deep oranges and reds. Marinette looked up from her tablet. "You know what to do, Adrien?"

Adrien paced in the darkening room. "Yes, Marinette… we've been over this plenty of times. I rescue you, and then younger you and I will go stop the Butterfly. Meanwhile, I can't let my younger self see me."

Bunnyx popped her bubble gum. "You remember where and when to be?"

"_Yes._ I'm to be at the Louvre at noon sharp two weeks after I arrive. You'll have a portal waiting for me on top of the pyramid." Adrien stopped pacing and let his arms hang at his sides, pasting a reassuring smile on his face.

Marinette walked over to her boyfriend and gave him a tight hug. "Don't miss me too much, loverboy." She pressed the Ladybug Miraculous into the smooth skin of his hand and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. She fussed with the collar of his shirt - always a white dress shirt over the dark t-shirt, even after all these years - and grinned.

"Don't miss _me_ too much, I think you mean." He grinned back and put the spotted earrings into his ears. He twisted his familiar silver ring - the one he had worn for the past seven years - off of his finger and handed it to Marinette.

"You'll only be gone a few seconds as far as I'm concerned. Who knows who you'll be running around with in 2019 Paris?" She put the ring on her right hand and held it out, admiring it like the engagement ring she was hoping to receive once they were done with university.

"Alright, guys, let's get a move on," Bunnyx said, clapping her hands. "We've got work to do."

Marinette stepped back, annoyed at being hurried but knowing it was for a good cause. "Tikki, _spots on!" _Adrien called. A flash of pink light later, and he was transformed. "Plagg, be good to Marinette while I'm gone." He took a deep breath and rolled his shoulders, muscles rippling under the suit like a cat. "I'm ready, Bunnyx." A large portal opened up in front of him, silhouetting him in bright white light. He gave a salute and walked through it.

Bunnyx closed the portal. "Hang tight, let me just get the coordinates… there." She waved her umbrella again, and another portal opened. She stood back, waiting for their friend to return.

This was it. Adrien would step back through the portal, and the nightmare that had taken hold of Paris for the past month would finally be over. Any second now… ten… twenty… thirty seconds elapsed. But there was nothing. It's been too long. He should have been back ages ago. What happened?

Bunnyx looked through the portal. Her eyes widened, and Marinette's stomach dropped. "Uh, Marinette… you're going to want to see this."

Hurrying over, Marinette poked her head through the portal.

Oh no.

_Adrien!_

"Plagg, _claws out!"_ Magic flowed over her and she shuddered at the slightly _off _sensation: destruction, so unlike the creation magic she normally wielded. She shook off the disorientation and launched herself through the portal before the green light of her transformation had faded, only faintly aware of Bunnyx calling out to her.

"Wait! We don't know what we're getting into!"


	2. It's About Time

**2019**

Ladybug sat on the couch of a suite in Le Grand Paris, staring out the window. She was on Chloe Duty tonight and would be on every fourth night for the foreseeable future.

Ever since Miraculer, when Ladybug had warned Chloe it was too dangerous to become Queen Bee, Hawk Moth had been trying harder and harder to persuade Chloe to become an accomplice. She had been successful in resisting akumas sent for her, yet had the talent for making other people miserable. Hawk Moth, that conniving opportunist jerk, would use the negative emotions that Chloe was creating in others to generate more powerful and more devastating akumas. It was bad enough that Stormy Weather's second incarnation somehow had the ability to knock the Earth off of its axis, but now the Miraculous Team had their hands full both stopping powerful akumas and babysitting Hawk Moth's most reliable source for akuma victims.

The _Miraculous Team_. That was what the press had dubbed them. Word hadn't gotten out yet about the nightly "patrols" at Le Grand Paris, but otherwise the sensationalist coverage of the four superheroes rivaled and often surpassed anything the Ladyblog had ever done.

"You don't have to be here, you know. I've got myself under control tonight, Ladybug." Chloe paged through a teen fashion magazine as she sat on her chaise.

"Chloe, we've been over this." _Many times. _"We agreed - and your father endorses - that you could use a bit of extra protection for a little while. At least until Hawk Moth moves on to a different target."

Chloe threw the magazine to the ground with a _snap_. "_We_ didn't agree to anything! Unless you're talking about your Heroes Club, which I was unceremoniously booted out of without being asked! And leave Daddy out of this! I'm sure he's not too thrilled with the danger of having an akuma magnet hanging around the hotel every night! If word ever got out, business would plummet! Daddy would be ruined! _I_ would be ruined!"

Ladybug bit her tongue at the words "akuma magnet". It had been like this every visit for the past few weeks. Rena Rouge and Carapace had each reported a cordial relationship with Chloe. With Chat Noir, who had subjected Chloe to his bantering on more than one occasion, she was said to be standoffish. But with Ladybug, Chloe was downright _frosty_. She closed her eyes to center herself. A familiar, unwelcome sight greeted her when she opened her eyes again.

"Chloe… look."

"No, I don't need to _look_. I get your point, Ladybug, you don't have to beat me over the head with it." Chloe crossed her arms and pointedly looked away from where Ladybug was sitting.

"No, Chloe, _look!_ See that?" There was a black-and-purple butterfly flitting back-and-forth above the rooftop pool. Ladybug stood up and unhitched her yo-yo from around her waist. This was the sixth akuma here at the hotel since the nightly vigils started. Four times, she hadn't been on duty and had to be roused from dreams of Adrien to come capture the akuma. The pressure of sleeping in her Ladybug suit was starting to put a strain on her and on Tikki, who was spending all of Marinette's non-Ladybug hours curled up in Marinette's purse, sleeping.

Everything about this whole situation had people on edge.

The noise of Ladybug's yo-yo spinning caused Chloe's head to turn. She watched as Ladybug effortlessly snatched the akuma out of the air, then released the purified butterfly to return to the skies of Paris.

"I could have done that." Chloe stalked off to her bedroom and slammed the door behind her.

Ladybug sighed and sat back down on the couch, watchful eyes scanning the sky.

* * *

Around midnight, Ladybug yawned and headed out onto the balcony. The light snoring coming from Chloe's bedroom was as good an indicator as any that there would be no akuma that night, and Chloe's butler and Sabrina would be over in the morning to unofficially take over, anyway. Ladybug couldn't wait until she was home in her bed. Tikki would appreciate the cookie and warm blanket as well. Ladybug's mind started to wander as she took the familiar route back to her balcony. _Maybe Hawk Moth has gone to bed, too… that would be nice. Staying up late isn't doing anybody any favors._ She flung her yo-yo extra-hard at the next anchor point.

_It doesn't help that Chloe is so… *pissy*... about being guarded all the time. So what if we decided that a little proactive protection of Paris was necessary? Isn't that what being a hero is about? Sure, defeating villains is part of the job description, but *not* having to defeat villains is even better. I wonder what it would be like if Chloe knew that her hero Ladybug was her annoying classmate Marinette Dupain-Cheng._

Ladybug, deep in her thoughts, lost track of the city and crashed into a building, sliding down to the street below. _Agh... I haven't had a fall like that since the first day I was in the suit. Focus, Ladybug!_ She lowered herself to the ground, ducked into an alley, and de-transformed. Her mental rant continued as she pulled a cookie out of her purse and fed Tikki.

* * *

A black-and-purple butterfly flew toward Marinette.

* * *

_This would be so much better if I had *some* support during the day, at least. It's bad enough that I'm battling Chloe and akumas at night, but having to go to school and deal with Lila during the day is enough to drive anybody bonkers. Not that anybody else notices, of course! Lila this, Lila that… I thought that the friends I made at the beginning of the school year last year would at least stay friends through the whole school year! Instead, Alya and Nino blew me off during that field trip to go play Super Penguino in a closet… and got akumatized as a result. I try to be Ladybug, with or without the mask, but I'm a person, too! Living in near-social isolation is starting to take its toll. I have to spend so much time transformed, I can't even talk to Tikki as much as I need to. It's not fair!_

Tikki finished her cookie, and Marinette called for her transformation, fuming at the injustice of it all. She tossed her yo-yo and began to swing toward her house, the siren song of her bed giving an end to this crapfest of a day beckoning louder and louder.

Ladybug's thoughts were interrupted by a whirring noise right next to her left ear. _That's my yo-yo… I'd recognize that sound anywhere. What gives? _She twisted around mid-swing and saw a red-and-black-spotted yo-yo retracting toward a roof, where a tall, blond figure, also red-and-black-spotted, caught it. For the second time that night, Ladybug lost control of her yo-yo and found herself plummeting toward the ground. The tall blond threw his yo-yo, swung down, and caught her mid-air. Ladybug didn't struggle. Maybe this was a dream. Maybe she was asleep on Chloe's couch, or in the alley she was just in, and this was all a dream. They touched down on a rooftop, and the tall blond… man, yes, he was definitely a man, set her down. He pressed a button on the yo-yo, releasing a white butterfly.

"Bye-bye, little… actually, that's your line, isn't it? Sorry." He rubbed the back of his neck.

Ladybug squinted at her… rescuer? He was tall, had shaggy-but-not-unkempt blond hair, and _he was wearing a Ladybug costume_. She hoped this wasn't a trap, an akuma, or Rena Rouge playing a trick on her. No, if this was Rena Rouge, the illusion would have shattered as soon as she touched it. This must be a real person, then. Her nerves were wires about to burst with electricity. "Who are you?"

"Oh, right, sorry." He drew himself up to his full height and proudly announced, "My name is Adrien Agreste, and I'm here to rescue you! Come on, let's get you home. I'll explain there."

What? That couldn't possibly be true. The Adrien she knew wasn't this tall, wasn't this old, wasn't... well, _Ladybug_. "Huh?" she sputtered.

"I'm sorry... I know this is probably very confusing for you, Marinette, but you'll have to trust me. Come on!" He held out his hand and nervously looked into the Paris nighttime sky.

Ladybug stared at the outstretched hand. _He had called her Marinette._ He said he was Adrien. He's dressed like Ladybug. The mask... the earrings... they're all there. She reached out and tentatively took his hand, feeling the familiar texture of the Ladybug costume underneath her fingers. It was authentic - or at least as close to authentic as she could determine.

The man claiming to be Adrien - Adribug? - closed his hand around hers and gave a little squeeze. "Come on... let's get you out of here." His eyes scanned the area. "Your family's bakery is just over there - we can get to your balcony and I'll fill you in."

This was nothing like the recurring daydream where Adrien took her by the hand and led her away. Adrien was always younger, smiling, and wearing his signature Gabriel outfit. This "Adrien" was older, speaking tersely, and was dressed like Ladybug. He was also pulling her along, almost faster than her legs could keep up. Adrien towered over her as it was; this "Adrien" was another couple of inches taller yet.

He let go of her hand and tossed his yo-yo toward the next building. Ladybug knew that it was only one swing to her balcony. If there were a time to escape, now would probably be her last opportunity. Taking a deep breath, she unhitched her yo-yo, cast it, and followed him to her rooftop.


	3. Two-timing

Ladybug followed Adrien-Bug to her balcony. Once they had alighted and retracted their yo-yos, she fixed him with an intense stare. "OK, _Adrien_, since you seem to know so much about me, why don't you clue me in about yourself? First of all, how can I even know you are who you say you are?"

Adri-Bug rubbed the back of his neck. Ladybug tried to figure out a better name to call him: Ladrien? Mister Bug? Ladybug shook her head and tried to focus on what he was saying.

"Well, like I said, I was sent here to rescue you. There was that akuma I just saved you from, but we're going to have to work together to eliminate the threat of Hawk Moth to keep you from getting akumatized."

"Slow down a bit. Prove to me who you say you are." She folded her arms and sat back on her heels, glaring at him.

"You've had a crush on me ever since we first met. No, that's not true - ever since I gave you my umbrella. I was oblivious for a long time about it, but shortly after Heroes Day I started to see the light… the light about what a beautiful person you are, inside and out. I had even called you _Everyday Ladybug_." He smiled, and Marinette saw a hint of sadness in it. "We fought together against some pretty dangerous people - Lila Rossi being chief among them. Sorry - it's been a few years since I knew you back then, um, now… and life's been a whirlwind for us in the meantime."

He knew about the crush. Finally, he knew about the crush. How did he know about the crush? _Adrien knows about my crush on him and oh my goodness I am going to die right here on the spot and…_ wait, no, he also said things like _beautiful person_ and _fought together against Lila_. Ladybug shook her head sharply, wondering how she was going to function around Adrien now that he knew about the crush and this tall, handsome… hold on. More importantly, he knew she was Ladybug. But _he's_ Ladyb - Mister Bug. Might as well find out how he knows that particular secret, too. Did Adrien know _everything_? "And how do you know that I'm Ladybug?"

"You told me."

"_Told_ you? Wait, how did I do that? Why did I do that? _When_ did I do that?"

Adrien looked down at the ground for a moment, then looked directly into Ladybug's eyes. "Marinette... it's probably not for the best that I tell you that now. I don't want to wreck the future."

Ladybug jabbed a finger at him, then started pacing. "May I remind you that you're here for exactly that reason? To change the future?" Mister Bug frowned. "If I told you my biggest secret, then I _had_ to have told you about the..." she took a deep breath. Telling Future Adrien wasn't easier than telling Today Adrien about this, after all. "...crush? The one I had on you? Have on you? Had on now-you then?" She balled her fists up and slammed them into her thighs.

"No need to get _tense_, Marinette." Mister Bug smirked, and the twinkle in his eyes looked vaguely familiar. Ladybug gave him the best Look she could manage in the hopes of getting something out of him. "Nice try, Bug. You forget that I've known you long enough at this point to know _all_ of your tricks. You won't get me _that_ easily." The ease of his smile and his relaxed demeanor at her _giant personal crisis_ made her want to punch that perfect smile off of his beautiful face. "You should get some rest. It's been a long day for you, and tomorrow we should get to work. Tikki will know how to get in touch with me. Good night, Marinette. Be safe." He looked like he wanted to say something else, but instead un-hitched his yo-yo and took off into the night.

Ladybug stood there for a few seconds, watching Mister Bug until she couldn't see him anymore. She took a deep breath and slowly descended the ladder into her room. "Tikki, spots off." Her voice was a raspy whisper, almost alien to her own ears. Tikki would know how to help. Tikki always knew what to say. Tikki… was snoring. Whatever questions Marinette had would have to wait until morning. She changed into her pajamas and climbed into her bed, quickly falling asleep.

* * *

An all-too-familiar feeling settled in Marinette's stomach as she walked into the school the next morning. She took a deep breath as she entered the courtyard. Her eyes slid to Chloe, who was sitting on the stairs, with her head in her hands. Sabrina was rubbing circles on her back and whispering to her. Marinette continued up the stairs, not bothering to eavesdrop. After how Chloe treated her - _Ladybug,_ she corrected herself - last night, Marinette wasn't in the mood for more Chloe drama. She passed Sabrina and Chloe and continued to the classroom.

In the classroom, it wasn't much better. Alya and Lila were having an animated conversation at Alya's seat. Marinette quietly took her seat next to Alya and did her best impression of someone who was absolutely not interested in what was being said. Because she wasn't. Nope, not at all. She didn't care that her _best friend_ was over at her _sworn enemy's_ house last night helping her get social media accounts set up. It didn't affect her in the least. Marinette got her tablet out of her bag and jabbed the power button.

"Why can't you come over again tonight? I could really use the help." A pleading, syrupy-sweet voice. It made Marinette sick.

"I told you, I have something to do tonight. I can't get out of it. I'm sorry; it will have to wait until tomorrow night." The voice of reason. It was Alya's turn on Chloe Duty tonight, after all.

"If it's babysitting Ella and Etta, I can come over and help, and we can work together! Chris loved it when I sat for him a while back, I'm sure Ella and…"

_Wait, what?_ Marinette dropped her stylus on the ground, then banged her head on the underside of the table in the act of picking it up. She winced and rubbed the back of her head. Lila babysitting for Nino's brother? When did this happen? Marinette was the designated sitter in the group - at least when Alya wasn't available - so why on earth did her _best friend_ invite _Lila Rossi, that filthy liar,_ over for babysitting? Marinette looked sideways at Alya, noting the thin gold chain sticking out past the collar of her shirt. Regret bubbled up inside Marinette before she forced the feeling down.

"Girl, are you OK?" Alya said, looking over at her. Lila huffed and went to her seat in the back row, where she belonged.

"I'm fine, thanks," Marinette took a deep breath and closed her eyes to stop them from watering. When she opened them again, Adrien was shuffling into the classroom. Marinette immediately snapped to attention in her seat and studied him. Same height as before. Same captivating green eyes as before. Same age as before? Definitely _not_ wearing a Ladybug costume.

Alya must have caught her staring intently because she poked Marinette in the side. "Got it even worse than usual this morning, huh?" Marinette swatted her hand away and shushed her friend. Returning her full attention to Adrien, she listened to what he was telling Nino.

"...helping me out with that playlist last night…"

So, he had an alibi, too, then. How was she ever going to find the man claiming to be Adrien Agreste? She looked into her purse, where Tikki was curled up, still sleeping. _Tikki will know how to get in touch with me. _Maybe something over lunch break…

Ms. Bustier walked into the room and called the class to attention, and Marinette was forced to divert her thoughts away from ladybugs and blonds.

* * *

When the class was dismissed for lunch, Marinette left so quickly that she banged her shin on the table. She limped down the stairs and across the street to her house, stopping in the bakery for a small quiche before heading upstairs to her room and sitting at her desk.

"Tikki, wake up! Can we talk?"

Tikki yawned and stretched. "Sure, Marinette… what time is it? Is it time to go to school?"

"Oh, Tikki… you've been so exhausted recently! No, it's lunch right now. I've got a cookie for you," she said, rummaging in her desk drawer and producing a large chocolate-chip cookie. "Were you able to sense anything about the other Ladybug last night? He mentioned you'd know how to get in touch with him."

Tikki took a big bite of cookie, chewed, and swallowed. "He's right. I know exactly where he is."

"You do?! Tikki, take me to him! _Spots -"_

"Wait! Marinette! You can't be Ladybug and have me take you there. I have a general awareness of what happens when you're transformed, but I can't guide you unless you're not transformed. If you're going to see him, you're going to have to go as Marinette."

Marinette frowned and took another bite of her quiche. Going as Marinette made her feel more vulnerable. Sure, she had faced her share of intimidating people without the mask: Audrey Bourgeois, Kagami Tsurugi… even Gabriel Agreste. But going to see _Adrien_ as herself… especially Mysterious Future Adrien sent butterflies twittering in her stomach. "We don't have much time over lunch… but let's at least go and work out a time to meet up later. It might ease my mind for the rest of the day."

"You've got it, Marinette!" Tikki zoomed into her purse, and Marinette went downstairs.

"Head east toward the Trocadero," Tikki said from her purse.

Marinette dutifully complied, following the directions Tikki was giving her. All in all, the trip went off without a hitch, even though a girl about Marinette's age stopped her and asked where she could download that super-cute voice for her own GPS app. Marinette arrived in front of a warehouse. She hesitated, stood up as straight as she could muster, then knocked on the door.

The door opened partway and a shaggy blond head poked out. "Hey, Marinette! Tikki told me you were on your way. Come on in!" He opened the door enough to admit her, then closed and locked it behind them. She blinked her eyes to adjust her vision to the dimmer warehouse, and saw a spartan layout: a cot, lamp, and mini-fridge were the only furnishings. "This is one of Father's old warehouses. He doesn't use it very much now, but thankfully he hasn't sold it yet, either, so it's the perfect hideout." Adrien was wearing his usual ensemble: a white dress shirt over a black t-shirt, and blue jeans. Whoever he claimed he was, he had the look down, at least.

"That's all well and good… but you still haven't told me why you're here. And I still am not one hundred percent convinced that you are who you say you are. Start with the first one, though." Marinette folded her arms and looked over her shoulder to the door. It was close enough that she could escape if this were a trap.

"Sure, whatever you want. I'm back here for two weeks, so we've got a bit of time. I think I already explained myself last night: I was sent to rescue you. Last night, on your way home, you were akumatized. Well, almost. I stopped that." He smiled rakishly, and it was so unlike the Adrien she knew, but vaguely familiar enough to throw her off for a second.

"What happened when I was akumatized?"

"It was bad. Ladybug and Hawk Moth working together was too much for Paris to take." Adrien held out his hand and started ticking off names on his fingers. "One by one, heroes became compromised. Rena Rouge, Carapace, Chat Noir…" He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and let it out before continuing. "Each time Hawk Moth defeated a hero, morale in Paris dropped and it became even easier for him to akumatize people. Without Ladybug there to purify akumas, Paris was overrun pretty quickly. It got bad. Six years from now, it's just you, me, and Alix left."

Marinette gasped and put her hand to her mouth. "But eventually you must have defeated me… right?"

"We did, yes. Hawk Moth wasn't defeated, though, and in the process of you being defeated he learned your identity, and Chat Noir's identity as well. We were able to keep him from getting the Miraculous through sheer luck, but with secret identities compromised..." Adrien's voice dropped to a whisper, and he rubbed the corners of his eyes with the back of his hand. "It… didn't go well for Chat. Both Ladybug and Chat were out of commission laying low for a while, and Hawk Moth was able to expand to not just Paris, but all of France."

Marinette shuddered. "So you've stopped me from being akumatized - now what? You're just going to hang out for the next two weeks?"

"No… I've got to watch over you. Last night was probably just the start of it. I'm not sure if Hawk Moth knows that it was _Ladybug_ he was close to akumatizing. He only senses negative emotions - not who gives them off. You'll have to watch your back very carefully."

Marinette hummed. "Why didn't I just come back from the future with the Ladybug Miraculous? Why did they - _I_ \- send you?"

"You've already been through time travel before, when Alix was akumatized. Too much time travel isn't good for a person's system. Alix can get away with it because her kwami protects her. I was the next best choice because… well, let's just say that 2025 Marinette trusts 2025 Adrien implicitly." The vaguely-familiar smirk found its way onto his face again.

A beep from Marinette's phone interrupted her response. "Crap, I've gotta get back to school. Can I meet you back here tonight?"

Adrien nodded. "Be here at eight o'clock sharp. Good luck today, Marinette."

Marinette paused, wondering why she would need luck to get through the rest of the day. She returned his nod and exited the warehouse. Ducking into an adjacent alley, she transformed and swung her way back to the school, mind already counting down the hours until their rendez-vous that evening.

* * *

The rest of the school day passed uneventfully. Marinette packed up her tablet after the last class while Lila came over to plead with Alya to _please, please_ come over again tonight. Alya refused - good for her! - and ended all discussion by going down to the next row and whispering something to Nino. Marinette could have sworn she saw Lila's eyes narrow a bit before she sauntered out of the classroom.

Marinette passed her afternoon by doing her homework, designing in her sketchbook, and watching the clock. The light snoring of her kwami was a soothing sound. After dinner, Marinette excused herself to her room and transformed. Rena Rouge would be arriving at Chloe's any minute now, and she needed to be able to get in touch with Ladybug in case something happened. Bored, Ladybug took out her sketchbook again and started to color in her designs from earlier.

After about an hour, Ladybug climbed out onto her balcony and prepared to take off. When she unhitched her yo-yo it started vibrating, almost causing her to drop it. She flipped it open and was surprised to see Rena Rouge's panicked face through a haze of interference.

"Ladybug, we've got a problem here! Get to the hotel as soon as you can! Bring Chat; I've already called Cara- OOOF"

Ladybug's eyes widened as her teammate disappeared and the screen went black. _Sorry, Mister Bug, you're going to have to wait on this one._ She flung her yo-yo out toward Le Grand Paris and took off.


	4. Time to De-Evilize!

**Earlier that evening**

Chloe sat on the couch, scrolling through social media on her phone. Rena Rouge was standing watch, pacing back-and-forth between the couch the windows.

"You should sit down, Rena Rouge," Chloe said. "Everybody else does."

"Gotta keep my legs loose, Chloe. Besides… foxes like to prowl. I think at this point it's just natural instinct." Her eyes gleamed behind the orange-and-white mask.

Chloe snickered and resumed looking at her phone. After a few seconds, she made a loud noise of disapproval and gripped the phone. This is what she read:

_**ladyblogg:**_

"_There's been at least one hero sighting per night over the past few weeks, but none of Queen Bee. Why is that? Is Chloe Bourgeois a coward? Did Queen Bee 'queen flee'? Personally, I don't think she has it in her anymore. She couldn't stop that train by herself, she got turned into a supervillain… she's probably too dangerous to be trusted as a superhero anymore."_

Chloe's hands were balled into fists and her face was contorted in anger. Fuming, Chloe spat, "That little _witch_. I should go over there and give her a piece of my mind. Right. Now."

"What is _this?_" Rena Rouge came charging over to the couch and grabbed the phone out of Chloe's hand. "Oh, _hell_ no!" She closed the post and tossed the phone down in disgust. "That's… that's not the real _Ladyblog_! Tell me you don't believe any of that… um, Chloe?"

"Why on earth is the _Ladyblog_ going after me now? I know that Alya and I aren't bosom buddies or anything, but this is ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous!"

"Now, Chloe, let's not do anything rash…" Rena's eyes scanned the air for an akuma, as Chloe's temper was rising. She reached over to where she knew the emergency red button was and pressed it, summoning Chloe's butler.

He responded almost immediately, running into the room brandishing a teddy bear. "Chloe! Mr. Cuddly is here! He can help you be calm and happy!"

Chloe swatted the teddy bear away from her butler. "Not now, Jean-Luc! Mr. Cuddly can help me rest easy after I go throttle that… that…" She used a word that made Rena's eyes widen. Rena reached out to keep Chloe seated, but Chloe shoved her out of the way, standing up. "_No_, Rena! You won't be able to stop me! Let me after her!" She stormed out onto the balcony and began yelling. "Alya Césaire! If it's the last thing I do, I'm going to… _hey!_"

Her butler and Rena Rouge blocked her and started pushing her back into the suite. Chloe barreled into them like a linebacker, sending her butler teetering to the ledge. Rena lunged after him but he couldn't get a grip on her hand and tumbled down to the flagpole below. Dangling by one hand, he called out with more than a hint of panic, "Please, help me! I am afraid of heights!" He looked to his left and saw a purple-and-black butterfly bearing down on him. He screamed as the akuma made contact.

Rena Rouge watched the energy signature illuminate his face. She took out her communicator and called Carapace. "Babe, you've gotta get over here. I'm gonna call Ladybug."

She re-opened her communicator and pressed the Ladybug icon. Instead of Ladybug's face, a haze of static greeted her and a garbled voice said, "Yes?"

"Ladybug, we've got a problem here! Get to the hotel as soon as you can! Bring Chat; I've already called Cara- OOF". She was knocked off of her feet as the akuma landed in front of her. Rena's head swam as she looked at him, and she quickly averted her eyes, struggling to stay on her feet.

"_I am Vertigo_," the akuma intoned. Its voice redoubled the dizzying effect on Rena Rouge, who fell to her knees, grasping at anything she could to help her stay upright.

* * *

Ladybug stopped on a nearby rooftop before leaving a message on Chat's communicator. "Chat, meet me at the hotel. Rena Rouge is in trouble! Come as soon as you get this!"

She closed her yo-yo and took off again to Le Grand Paris. When she got there, she had to squint because the akuma was the most bizarre thing she had seen since Mr. XY's latest music video. The akuma was a bright, pulsing white, with swirls of neon colors swimming like snakes over its body. The immediate effect was to render Ladybug dizzy, and she veered off to the closest rooftop to prevent her second crash in as many days.

Once she landed, she shielded her eyes and surveyed the scene. Carapace was already there, looking greener than usual. Rena Rouge was crawling around on all fours, apparently unable to stand and fight. Chloe wasn't visible, but that didn't mean she wasn't there. Maybe she was the akuma - again. Ladybug chanced a peek at the akuma, trying to spot a weakness. She turned away before she got dizzy. Two, maybe three seconds at a time. She could work with that. Maybe. She cast her yo-yo and swung over to the hotel balcony, gathering Rena Rouge up and hiding behind a couch.

"Rena Rouge, are you OK? What's the scoop?" Ladybug attempted to sit her teammate upright, but Rena wouldn't, or couldn't, sit up straight.

"Akuma… gives vertigo just by _looking_ at him. Not sure how we can stop what we can't see." Rena swayed and leaned heavily against Ladybug, groaning.

"Any weapons?" Ladybug looked over her shoulder at the akuma, but had to quickly look away again.

"None that I could tell. Haven't really examined him, though. Any time I get close, I get too dizzy." She retched. "Sorry I had to call you in again. I couldn't talk Chloe off the ledge."

"We'll cover that later, Rena Rouge. Get your bearings while I try to figure out what we should do!"

Ladybug poked her head over the top of the couch. She tried scanning the area to see if there was a tactical advantage she could get, but couldn't come up with anything. Carapace was doing a good job keeping the akuma at bay, but he wasn't mounting any offense, either. "Lucky charm!" she called out, and jumped a little bit when a man's voice echoed her call from a few feet behind her. Her head whipped around in shock as a strobe light fell into her hands. "What am I supposed to do with this?" she said.

"Make some tea?" Mister Bug laughed. He was holding his own red-and-black-spotted strobe light. "Sorry… probably not the time."

Rena Rouge looked up at the new superhero. "Man, this vertigo must be getting me worse than I thought. I'm seeing two Ladybugs. My hearing's all messed up, too." She laid down on the ground and rocked back and forth.

Mister Bug cleared his throat. "Any ideas, Ladybug?"

Ladybug frowned, then looked around again. The lights on top of the hotel stood out. "Knock out the lights," she commanded, and Mister Bug nodded and got to work. In seconds, the only light source was from the akuma itself, although without the surrounding light the akuma was much dimmer. Ladybug turned on the strobe lights and that caused the akuma's swirling colors to move less rapidly. She kept looking at it, and noticed that there was a black shape around the akuma's neck that stayed in place regardless of how much the other colors changed position.

With a target in mind, Ladybug wound up and threw her yo-yo at the akuma, hitting it below the throat. The bow tie broke and released the butterfly. Mister Bug captured and purified it before releasing it into the night sky.

"Pound it?" he offered, holding out his fist.

Ladybug stared at Mister Bug's fist for a second, then shrugged. She held out her fist, but before she could return the fist bump, a smaller voice came from behind her. "Hey, I heard there was an akuma!" She turned around, and Chat Noir was standing on the balcony with a sheepish grin on his face. Ladybug heard a noise from where Mister Bug was standing, but when she turned back to look at him, he was gone. Chat Noir walked over and bumped Ladybug's fist. "What'd I miss?"

* * *

"Miraculous _Ladybug!_"

Ladybug threw her strobe light into the air and watched as it burst into swarms of red-and-black magic sprites that brought Paris back to normal. The balcony of the hotel lit up again as the lights that Mister Bug had broken were restored. Chloe's butler was back to normal, and he immediately went into Chloe's suite to comfort the girl, who was sitting on the couch. All in all, not a bad night's work. A chirping in her ears told her that she only had a few minutes before her transformation expired. She walked over to Carapace, who was helping Rena Rouge stand up.

"Rena Rouge, Carapace… are you okay?"

"We're fine now, Ladybug. Thanks." Rena Rouge got to her feet.

Carapace nodded. "My hood and my goggles blocked out the vertigo somewhat, but I was still woozy enough to not be able to get the drop on him. I'm sorry, I should have been able to take care of him without the whole cavalry being called in. My bad, people."

"It seemed pretty bad." Ladybug looked over at Chat, who was tracing the balcony with his foot. "I'm sorry, I would have been here sooner but I think my communicator was glitching out. There was a message on there from Ladybug, but it wasn't clear at all. I had to wait for my AkumAlert app to tell me where to go."

"Nobody needs to apologize except for me. I was on duty and the akuma still happened." Rena's shoulders sagged. "I'll have to do better next time, I guess. C'mon, Carapace, let's get out of here." She turned and leaped to the next rooftop, then took off running. Carapace looked at Ladybug, shrugged his shoulders as if to say _what can you do?_ and took off after her.

"Say, my Lady… who was the new guy?"

Ladybug squawked and waved her arms. "New guy? What are you talking about?" She took a deep breath and forced herself to stand still. _Be cool, Ladybug. Cool and collected. A calm Ladybug is a Ladybug who can't be akumatized._

Chat fixed her with a glare that was both sad and hurt. "This isn't another one of those things that has to be a secret, does it? Am I getting replaced? Are _you_ getting replaced? I can handle more than one tall blond superhero on the team, honest!" His expression softened. "I'm sorry… I shouldn't jump to conclusions."

Another chirp from Ladybug's earrings. "Listen, Kitty… I _do_ need to talk to you about this. It wouldn't be fair to my _partner_ to not keep you in the loop. I'm about to time out, but can we regroup tomorrow night?"

"I'll be here tomorrow. Since Chloe Duty usually goes way too late in the night, afterwards is probably out of the question. I can't get out of what I'm doing before, either. Maybe a video call…? But no, I think your communicator is busted, because all I got was static. I don't know how you would get that fixed, though." Chat hummed.

"We'll have to think of something in the meantime. I'll contact you tomorrow night."

"If you would just..."

Ladybug cut him off. "You know why we can't do that, Chat. If you got me a phone, even a basic one, it's still one more thing that could lead to our secret identities being compromised. We can't have that. Especially now. You know how Hawk Moth is going after Chloe. If he finds out who one or both of us are underneath the mask, then what we see now is going to look like a ride at the carnival. We wouldn't get any sleep. Our families would constantly be in danger. No, Chat. I'm sorry. It's too risky. I'll reach out tomorrow night." A more insistent chirp from her earrings. "I've got to go now. Bug out." She hurriedly cast her yo-yo in the direction of her home, swinging like her life depended on it. If she de-transformed mid-swing - something that had never happened but there's a first time for everything - the crash landing would be much more painful than what she experienced the previous night.

* * *

Mister Bug was back in his warehouse hideout. He took a deep breath, whispered "Zero," and felt the transformation melt away. He chuckled. "It's been a long time since I've had to worry about that happening," he said to no one in particular.

"Do you think Chat Noir saw you?" Tikki whispered.

"I'm almost certain he did. It shouldn't matter, though - as long as he doesn't figure out who I am, I'm not breaking any rules, right? Besides, akuma battles are all over the news and the Ladyblog, anyway. People will know about me first thing tomorrow morning, if not sooner." He looked at Tikki and frowned. "You don't look well. Here, have a cookie." He rummaged in the fridge and pulled out a box of chocolate chip cookies. "Probably not the good stuff you're used to, but it will have to do for now," he sighed. "Maybe I'll ask Marinette to bring by some cookies tomorrow. We've got a lot of stuff we need to go over yet. Good night, Tikki," he concluded, turning off the lamp and laying down on the cot.

* * *

Marinette sat in her room, thinking about the events of the night and wishing that she didn't have to transform and use her magic. Her poor kwami was so exhausted that she was talking in her sleep. Marinette yawned, stretched, and climbed into bed. She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.


	5. A Second Hand

Ladybug was running.

This latest akuma's weapon - a _sword, _why was it always a giant magical _sword_ \- had split the string on her yo-yo, rendering it useless. She had no way to contact her teammates, no way to capture or purify the akuma, and no foreseeable way out of this situation.

She tripped and fell. Of _course_ she did.

The akuma leaped on her and trapped her. It was about twice her size, agile, and _very_ determined. Ladybug looked the akuma in its glowing blue eyes and covered her earrings out of habit. She was _not_ going down without a fight. She may have lost her powers, but she would _never_ lose her Miraculous. Ladybug did a quarter-roll onto her back and began to kick at the akuma, trying to get it off of her so she could have a clear avenue of escape. Hawk Moth's energy signature was over the akuma's face. He was so close… Ladybug gulped and redoubled her struggles. Sweat trickled down her forehead, over her mask, stinging her eyes, making her vision blurry.

She whipped her head back and forth, moving her hands to the akuma's arms for leverage.

The akuma put its arm across her throat and leaned forward. The pressure made Ladybug's eyes widen - how was the akuma so _heavy_? Ladybug's movements became more frantic as her gloved hands scrabbled for purchase and her feet kicked ineffectively at the akuma. Magic protection or not, Ladybugs needed to _breathe_ and if she didn't get free soon, that was going to stop happening.

Black-and-purple bubbles enveloped the akuma, and the pressure on her throat lifted. Ladybug gasped for air as the butterfly fled the former akuma and settled on her earring.

"Give in, Ladybug… you know this will happen eventually. Join me now… it is… your _destiny._" Hawk Moth's voice, dripping with evil and persuasion, echoed through her mind.

* * *

Tom Dupain and Sabine Cheng jolted awake. They bolted out of their bed, racing to the source of the noise. Tom led the way to the bottom of his daughter's stairs, climbed them, and blasted through the trapdoor with his shoulder, splintering the lock. Sabine passed him and raced up the ladder to her loft, where Marinette was thrashing in her covers, screaming in her sleep.

"No! _No! Hawk Moth!_"

Sabine shook Marinette until her eyes opened. Bright blue eyes searched the room until they settled on her mother, who pulled Marinette into a tight hug, stroking her hair and shushing her. "Honey… my darling… it's OK. You're safe. Hawk Moth's not here. No butterflies in sight."

Marinette clung to her mother. "I had a nightmare. I dreamed that he got me with an akuma, and he wanted me to join him. He was so persuasive… _I wanted to give in so much…_"

"Shh… it's OK..." Sabine looked over her shoulder at her husband, whose head was poking over the ladder.

"But Mom… what if I _do _give in to Hawk Moth?"

"Then Ladybug and Chat Noir will stop you and fix everything, just like they did with me," Tom spoke up.

Marinette shuddered. Sabine pulled her even closer and kissed her on the forehead.

Tom made his way up to the loft and maneuvered himself to a sitting position on Marinette's bed. "You know, honey… Hawk Moth targeting you doesn't make you a bad person. He preys on people's negative emotions. You can be the most perfect person on the planet and still be targeted. We won't be able to rest easy until he's finally out of the picture. Until then… just be yourself, Marinette. The fact that you haven't been akumatized at all says a lot about you. Especially since you're in close proximity to Chloe Bourgeois all the time."

_Tell me about it_, Marinette thought. _I am proud, I am confident… I am Marinette!_ She chuckled. "Thanks, Dad. You're right." She took a deep breath and blew it out. "I think I'm OK now. Thanks for checking up on me. I haven't had a nightmare like that in a while." _Mar-i-neeeette… I'm in love with Chlo-e!_ She shook her head to clear her head of the memory.

Tom and Sabine each leaned forward in turn and kissed Marinette on the cheek. "Do you want me to bring you some warm milk, honey?" Sabine asked.

"No thanks, Mom. I'll be able to get to sleep, I promise." She yawned and made an exaggerated show of stretching. "I'll see you in the morning. Thanks again." She shot them a smile and laid down.

* * *

Tom and Sabine left Marinette's room, carefully closing the broken door behind them.

"You'll have to fix that, dear," Sabine chided him.

"What can I say? When my family's in danger, there's _nothing_ I wouldn't do for them."

"I know, dear. That's why I love you so much. C'mon, let's get to bed and leave the batch of pastry dough to be the only thing that's an early riser."

* * *

Outside Marinette's bedroom window, Tikki spat out a white butterfly. _That was close,_ she thought. _Good thing Marinette's screaming woke me up, otherwise I might have missed that one._

* * *

A red blur zoomed in Marinette's window and settled itself on Marinette's pillow next to her head. "Are you OK, Marinette?"

Marinette rolled over onto her side and faced Tikki. "I'm fine, Tikki. Just a bad dream. Hold up… are you _drooling_?" A strange mixture of guilt and secrecy came over Tikki's face, and she wiped her chin. "Anyway, Tikki… you know how Mister Bug said that I was akumatized by Hawk Moth in the future?" Tikki faced Marinette and nodded. "What if we can't stop that? What if, no matter what we do, it happens anyway?" Marinette felt her palms grow clammy. "Tikki… I'm scared."

Tikki hummed and scooted closer to Marinette. "I can't see the future, Marinette. Fluff - the Rabbit kwami - is the kwami of Time, and I'm not even sure _she_ could do it. Not reliably, anyway. But I _am_ the kwami of Creation, and here's what I believe: We are always creating our own world. With every decision we make, every thought we have, every thing we do, we are creating our destiny. You're in control of your future, because you're creating it. Does that make sense?"

"Kind of, Tikki… but I didn't create Hawk Moth, and he's in my future." Marinette's voice dropped to a whisper. "How do you explain that?"

"You're not the only one who gets to create your future, Marinette. _Everybody _does. Hawk Moth's future affects yours. But you choose how you _react_ to it. You could have been akumatized a few times over, and you haven't been. That is the future that you have created for yourself so far: a future without an akumatized Marinette!" She leaned in even closer to Marinette and lowered her voice. "Besides, you have a secret weapon to help you out." Marinette scrunched her face. "Me!" Tikki smiled, and Marinette could almost see the sparkles that came from Tikki with her declaration.

"You'll always be my secret weapon, Tikki." Marinette tickled Tikki in the stomach, turned over, and went to sleep.

* * *

Alya slung her backpack over her shoulders and sighed. Normally school days after akuma battles were energizing. Even if Rena Rouge wasn't at the battle, people talking about the coverage on the _Ladyblog_ was enough of a rush to fuel her for quite some time.

Today was different. Rena Rouge was at the battle, but wasn't able to do anything. She wasn't even able to prevent the akuma from happening, and she was _right there_. There was no coverage on the _Ladyblog_. Some imposter, some loser out to ride her coattails, some two-bit _hack_, was out there posting lies and pretending to be the _Ladyblog!_ She had to get her good name back. Maybe a one-on-one interview with Carapace about last night's akuma? She also needed to figure out who was behind that fake account…

Nino joined up with her on the way up the stairs to the school. "How are you doing, babe? Get much rest last night?" He put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

"Oh, the usual amount after a night like last night. I was able to get back home earlier than usual, but my heart wasn't into posting an update about the battle."

"Dude, that's not like you at all. Want to come over tonight and talk about it?" He pulled her into a brief hug and scratched between her shoulder blades, her favorite spot.

Alya quickly put her index finger to her lips and dropped it to her side. Lila Rossi appeared from nowhere and came bounding up. "Hey Alya, how are things? I saw the update on the _Ladyblog_ last night. It's _so amazing_ having a _real journalist_ here in our school!" She smiled. "Can you come over tonight? I really want to make sure I get all this social media stuff right, and you're _such_ an expert about that sort of thing…" She dropped her head slightly and looked up. "I mean, only if you want to. I understand if you're too busy for someone like me…"

The words spilled out of Alya's mouth before she could even register them. "You _both_ can come over tonight, I guess." Nino looked like he wanted to say something and glanced at Lila out of the corner of his eyes before shrugging and closing his mouth. Alya took his hand and led him up the stairs. He excused himself to head to the locker room before class.

Sabrina was waiting for her when she got to the classroom, arms folded and foot tapping. "You posted that _junk_ on the _Ladyblog_ last night and almost got my Chloe in trouble. What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Look, I don't know where that post came from! It's obviously not from me - my _Ladyblog_ account only has one 'g'! This is a fake - a very well done fake - but a fake, nevertheless." Alya put on her best indignant face. "I'm working with the site to figure out who did that and try to get them blocked. It's the best I can do. I'm sorry for what happened with Chloe." Sabrina frowned and walked away from her, then sat down in her seat next to Chloe and started rubbing circles on the girl's back.

Marinette walked over to Alya. "What was _that_ all about?"

Alya shook her head and chuckled. She would never understand how Marinette seemed to miss all of the important goings-on in the city. "Girl, I swear, you must live under a rock or something. OK, here's the scoop: There was a post last night on social media from someone trying to act like they were the _Ladyblog_. Chloe saw it and got upset, and then her butler was akumatized. The heroes showed up and beat the akuma, but there was a new superhero - a tall blond in a Ladybug outfit. Tall blond _male_, I should say. I think I'm going to call him _Lordbug_ or something like that. Get it? Ladybug, Lordbug? Ehh, you gotta start somewhere."

Marinette giggled. "Another superhero on the loose! They better watch out, or the World's Greatest Reporter is going to try to pin them down for a series of exclusive interviews! C'mon, let's sit down, and you can tell me all about it." She took Alya by the arm and led her to their table.

* * *

Sabrina was still rubbing circles on Chloe's back and cooing reassurances to her when Adrien walked into the classroom. "Hey Chloe," he said, sliding onto the bench next to her. Chloe budged over to accommodate him and almost knocked Sabrina off of her end of the bench. "How are you doing?"

"Ugh, Adri-kins… this has been ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous!" She hung her head in her hands. "Every day, all I see are butterflies. I go home: butterflies. I go to sleep: butterflies. It's gotten so bad that," she lowered her voice to a whisper, "there's a different hero at my home every night. That pesky Chat Noir is coming over tonight to watch for akumas. He's _nothing_ like you. I wish _you_ could come over and help keep watch, Adri-kins. You're _much_ better than Chat Noir." She sighed and stared off into space.

Adrien glared at Chloe for a moment, then said "Well, it's nice that people are looking out for you, at least. You'll be in good hands with Chat. Listen… I'm sorry about that fake post. I wonder who would have done that? I know you have your shortcomings, but who doesn't? You didn't deserve to have that said about you."

"Thanks, Adrien." Chloe looked at Adrien with something that resembled adoration. "People are starting to not hang around me anymore because they're afraid of being akumatized. Sabrina's dad won't let her come over in the afternoons anymore, and my father almost fired my butler over what happened last night." Her breath hitched as she choked back tears. "I know I haven't been the greatest person in the past, but I really could use friends. Ladybug abandoned me. The people I've been leaning on can't be there for me, either." She looked around at everyone else in the classroom. "I'm scared, Adrien. I'm not sure how much more of this I can take." She put her hand on Adrien's shoulder. "Thank you for being here for me."

* * *

Gabriel Agreste was standing in his atelier, drumming his fingers on his computer screen.

Nathalie walked over and handed him a cup of coffee. "I take it you saw the news, sir."

"How do I take advantage of this, Nathalie? _Two_ Ladybugs? What an excellent opportunity!"

"Sir? Won't this make it twice as hard to get the Miraculous?"

"No, Nathalie, don't you _see_? It won't make it twice as hard… it doubles my chances to get those earrings! I just have to play my hand very carefully. Last night was almost perfect with Miss Bourgeois provoking yet another akuma. We'll keep chipping away at her, of course. We won't let those children rest on their laurels! We will strike again, tonight, and see what we can do to squash those pesky Bugs out of existence!"


	6. Second Time's the Charm

"_Chat Noir._ What a _pleasure_ to have you here." Chloe was smiling, but Chat Noir knew better. When Chloe Duty started, he believed that the team was supporting their teammate and friend from being akumatized. But behind the mask of Chloe's smile, he was able to notice the slight bags under her eyes. The small twitch at the left corner of her mouth. The way her hand slicked out of his when he shook her hand. Chloe was going to need more support, regardless of whether or not the people providing it were wearing masks. And what did she mean about Chat Noir being _pesky?_ Chat Noir was nothing short of the perfect gentleman, thank you very much. Why, if he had…

"Chat Noir, were you even _listening? Ugh._" Chloe stalked into her suite and left the door open for Chat to follow.

"So, hey, Chloe…"

"Oh, you've come to give me more grief, is that it? I'm getting it from all sides these days. Randos on the Internet, now people who I thought were my friends and teammates? I've got news for you…"

"Chloe! Stop it. Look… I know you're going through a rough time right now. Hawk Moth's got you in his sights. You've got a lot going on right now, and you're under a lot of pressure. You feel alone, and worse, you feel like you're being treated like a child because your old teammates are here to babysit you. Did I get that right?"

Chloe snapped her mouth shut and blinked. "Yes… you did, actually." Her eyes narrowed. "What did you do with the _real_ Chat Noir? He's usually not this sensitive." She took a step back.

"I _already_ _gave _you the passphrase, Chloe. Come on, give me _some_ credit here. I get it. Nothing hurts more than isolation. Solitude. Being forced to spend all of your time alone." He smiled in an effort to reassure her. "We're not _babysitting_ you, Chloe, we're here to help you and protect you. But you have to _let us in_ to do that. Can you let us help you, Chloe?"

Chloe's mouth fell open and she struggled for words. After a few seconds, she managed to speak. "H- h- help? Ridiculous! I just need someone to get rid of all of these butterflies!"

"Letting people help you isn't the same as bossing people around or them catering to your every whim. Being vulnerable isn't a weakness, Chloe. We're working on finding Hawk Moth. But until we do that, _you need help._ Let's start by getting your mind off of butterflies for a little bit." He tapped his mouth and hummed. "Do you have any board games?"

* * *

Jacques Frelon was a normal middle-aged Parisian man, with a normal life. He was working in his garden, one of his favorite hobbies. The stresses of the day melted away as he reached in and pulled weeds from his flowerbed. The sun was just beginning to set and the daisies, tulips, and roses were radiant in colors and fragrant smells. Jacques stretched to the rear of his garden to pull a particularly troublesome weed when he felt a sharp pain in his right hand. He pulled his hand back and attempted to remove the glove when he was hit with three more rapid-fire stings in his hand.

An angry red hornet emerged from Jacques's glove, and he swatted at it fruitlessly. It returned for a final sting before Jacques was able to smash it against the garden bed. Swearing under his breath, Jacques didn't see the purple-and-black butterfly until it was too late.

* * *

"Double fives… looks like I'm going to jail… _again_." Chat sighed and moved the dog piece to Jail. "Your turn."

Chloe picked up the dice and rolled, then moved her piece - the sports car, _of course_ \- to Boulevard des Capucines. "I'm going to put a hotel on here!" She started putting her money in the bank.

Chat pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. "Chloe, we've been through this already: you can't build a hotel on a property until you've put four houses on it. Those are the _rules_."

"What are you _talking_ about?" Chloe didn't even bother looking at Chat. "We didn't tear down four houses to build Le Grand Paris, did we? I thought games were supposed to be about life! This is ridiculous! _Utterly_ ridiculous!" She finished putting money in the bank and hunted around the box for a red hotel.

The AkumAlert app on Chloe's phone chimed, disrupting the game. Chat took a deep breath. "I was hoping that we would be able to get a night off. Where is it?" He leaned forward to see the screen. "Parc Montsouris? Huh… I wonder if anybody's on the scene yet." He pulled out his communicator and frowned. "Nothing yet from Ladybug or anyone else on the team. I need to go handle this. You know the drill: stay in your bedroom until the all-clear sounds on the app. I'll check in with you when we're done." He started to stand up.

Chloe grabbed his arm and almost pulled him back down. "Chat…" Her eyes searched his face. "Tell Ladybug that I can come help out. She can use me. I didn't cause this one. I'm a good person, _right?_ I'm a hero…" She blinked rapidly.

"I'll see what I can do, Chloe. Be safe." Chat freed his arm and walked out to the balcony. He glanced back at Chloe before extending his baton, and vaulted off in the direction of Parc Montsouris.

* * *

Ladybug arrived on-scene, where there were about a dozen lifeless people scattered on the ground. She gasped. Despite turning people into mummies or kissing zombies or even glitter statues, Hawk Moth's akumas weren't usually _lethal_... but when they were, Ladybug always felt even more of an obligation to save Paris. She shuddered and tried to assess the situation before backup arrived. The akuma - he? she? Ladybug couldn't tell - was tall. It was wearing a red coverall tucked into black boots that came up to its shins. Its head and shoulders were in some sort of purple armor, and it was wearing dark goggles. There were two large purple canisters on its back, like a scuba diver would wear oxygen tanks. From each canister came a hose that ended just below the red gloves it was wearing.

The akuma leaped in front of a person who was trying to get away. It raised its right arm and a puff of red mist came from its glove. The red mist hit the person, who immediately fell to the ground and started twitching.

"That doesn't look good," came a voice from over Ladybug's shoulder.

"No, Carapace, it doesn't." Ladybug gritted her teeth and turned to face her teammate. Carapace and Rena Rouge were standing there. Chat Noir landed next to Rena Rouge. "OK, we're all here." Chat Noir frowned, but Ladybug continued. "I'm not sure what the akuma's power is, and we've got a lot of possibilities for an akumatized object. Let's see how we can do. We'll have to disable whatever shoots that mist. Rena Rouge, Carapace, each of you flank him and try to get those hoses. Chat Noir, try to cataclysm those tanks on his back. I'll go after his goggles. Is everybody ready?" Multiple murmurs of assent. "Great, let's go!"

Ladybug watched as Carapace landed on the akuma's left and Rena Rouge landed on the Akuma's right. Chat took his normal role of distracting the akuma and darted in front of the akuma's face, casually twirling his tail. "Hey, Mister Misty… or is it Miss Misty? Mist-ter-y? What's your deal?"

"I am Extermin-Hater, _hero_, and I have come for your Miraculous. Hawk Moth asked for your Miraculous and the Bug Miraculous, but I'll take _everyone's_!" The akuma's voice was thin and reedy. He brandished a glove at Chat Noir, who leaped out of the way of the red mist.

_Bug_ Miraculous? _Extermin-Hater?_ Hawk Moth must really be stretching, or this akuma is a bit too on-target. She cast her yo-yo and wound up the akuma's extended left arm. "Try to get that hose disconnected, Carapace!" Carapace reached in and grabbed the hose, struggling to get it free. Rena Rouge grabbed Extermin-Hater by his right arm and attempted to work the hose free on that side. The akuma growled and brought his arms together, crashing Rena Rouge into Carapace and sending them both flying. The string on the yo-yo slackened as a result, and Ladybug reeled her weapon back in.

"That's the _Ladybug_ Miraculous to you, Extermin-Hater! But you're still not going to get it!"

Ladybug raced forward as the akuma regrouped from the distraction that Carapace and Rena Rouge provided. She twirled her yo-yo as a shield and watched as Chat clambered up the akuma's back, wrestling with the two tanks on there. "These appear to be magically bolted on! I'm not sure I can get them off, even with my super-strength! _Nnnngh!_" He planted his feet in the small of the akuma's back and pulled.

The akuma propelled himself down and backwards, flattening Chat underneath him as he landed on his back. Chat groaned and grabbed his stomach. Extermin-Hater stuck his left arm out again and aimed at Rena Rouge and Carapace, who were still trying to untangle themselves from each other. The akuma fired a blast of red mist at Rena and Carapace.

"Carapace, _look out!" _Rena Rouge's eyes widened and she pointed frantically at the approaching cloud of mist.

"_Shell-ter!"_ called Carapace. A green energy field sprang up around him and Rena Rouge. The majority of the red cloud was held at bay, but some must have gotten through, because Carapace screamed and started thrashing on the ground, clawing at his throat.

"Carapace!" Ladybug's mind was racing. Chat was down and incapacitated. Carapace was hurt, but she couldn't get to him until his shield dropped. Even then, his shield dropping would put Rena Rouge in imminent danger. A feeling of dread overcame her as she looked at her fallen teammates. Rena Rouge had pulled Carapace into a sitting position. He had stopped clawing at his throat, but Ladybug couldn't tell if that was because he was sitting up or something more sinister. Rena had a wild, desperate look in her eyes as she supported Carapace and watched the energy field.

A muffled yell came from underneath the akuma. "_Cataclysm!"_ The akuma's tanks disappeared, leaving a giant red cloud floating in the air. Chat Noir screamed as the gas caught him full-force, and he went limp on the ground, twitching violently.

"No! _Chat!_ _Lucky Charm!" _ Everything depended on Ladybug now. She tossed her yo-yo up in the air, and a giant oscillating fan came down. Thank goodness this one was easy to interpret: get rid of the mist, and then she could heal everybody. She caught it, aimed it at the red cloud, and turned it on. Regardless of what it hit at this point, it wouldn't be her and she could safely defeat the akuma. Anybody else who came in contact with the mist could be saved by the Miraculous Cure. Ladybug put her game face on and focused on the akuma, tuning out the screams and yells from around her. The cloud of red mist dispersed and Ladybug threw her yo-yo at the akuma's goggles, hoping with every fiber of her being that she guessed correctly as to the location of the akumatized object.

The goggles shattered and fell to the ground. Ladybug held her breath as she waited for the butterfly.

Nothing. _Crap_. Where could it _be?_ As she scanned the area, she noted that Chat Noir had stopped twitching. The effects of the mist could be temporary, then. But nobody else had gotten up yet. Her eyes shifted to her friends underneath the green shell: Carapace was laying back down, with Rena Rouge's head on his chest. Her shoulders were shaking.

Unafraid of getting hit by a disarmed akuma, Ladybug moved in for some hand-to-hand combat. Watching her teammates — her _friends _— fall and suffer at Extermin-Hater's hands had gotten her blood boiling to the point of rage.

Wait a minute. _Hands_. Of course! Her nerves sang with adrenaline as the realization clicked in her mind.

She ran in and grabbed the akuma's left arm, using the loose hose as leverage to tear the glove. _Nothing still._ She absorbed a couple of punches from the akuma, keeping a firm grasp on the akuma's arm to avoid losing ground. "I'll swat you if it's the last thing I do, bug!" She wrapped the akuma's loose hose from its right arm around her left hand, and pulled.

"Don't… call… me… _Bug!"_ Ladybug's voice was filled with venom every bit as lethal as the red mist had proven to be.

The glove tore with a loud noise. Destruction never sounded so good. A purple-and-black butterfly flew into the air. Ladybug spun her yo-yo, eyes fixed on the retreating akuma. _Time to de-evilize._ Throwing a giant fan into the air never felt better. Ladybug closed her eyes as the swarm of magical ladybugs washed through the area. Her friends - and Paris - were safe again. She dropped to her knees, finally allowing herself to feel all the dread and terror that she had repressed in order to defeat the akuma. She started shivering.

Chat Noir came over to her and put his hand on her shoulder. She jumped to her feet and immediately assumed a fighting stance, hand scrambling to unhitch her yo-yo.

"Bug… My Lady… it's OK. It's over now. We're fine. You did it." He rubbed a circle on her back.

Carapace and Rena Rouge were standing up and embracing. The insistent chirp in Ladybug's ears reminded her that she didn't have much time left before she de-transformed. "Rena Rouge, can you get Carapace home?" Rena wiped her eyes and silently nodded.

"Pound it?" Chat offered his fist.

"Pound it." Ladybug completed the fist-bump and watched as Chat, Rena, and Carapace all left to return to their lives. The affected civilians were slowly getting to their feet. The akuma victim was sitting on the ground, looking at his surroundings with an expression of fear and bewilderment. Sirens sounded in the distance.

Ladybug jumped to the nearest rooftop so she could de-transform and feed her kwami in peace.

* * *

"Sir?" Nathalie said, following Gabriel out of his lair and into his atelier.

Gabriel rounded on her, face red with fury. "Looks like I'll need to do this one myself."

He pulled out his phone, tapped on the screen, and stalked out of the room.

* * *

Alya and Nino walked back into her apartment, each carrying a container of ice cream. Lila was sitting cross-legged on the floor of the living room, with Ella, Etta, and Chris sitting in a semi-circle in front of her. Alya forced a smile onto her face. "Hey, sorry Lila, there was a huge line and then their cash register was down, and I had to go to the ATM to get money and then go stand in line again. Anyway… here it is!" She and Nino plopped the ice cream containers on the counter and opened them up.

"It's OK, guys. Ella, Etta, and Chris were all having fun with me! We were telling ghost stories, weren't we? We earned our ice cream!" Lila smiled at the three children.

"YAY, ICE CREAM!" The children swarmed the counter. Nino laughed and pulled out some bowls and spoons. "Hang on, guests first. What flavor did you want, Lila? We have strawberry and mint chip."

Lila pulled her phone out and checked it. "Oh… I'll pass this time, guys. Something just came up and I have to go. I'll take a raincheck!" She smiled and waved. Etta ran over to her and gave her a squeeze.

"Bye, Auntie Lila! Thanks for coming over!"

Lila patted Etta on the head. "Bye, honey. You be good! Bye guys, see you at school!" She waved again and left the apartment.


	7. Time, See What's Become of Me

Lila had left, the younger kids were in bed, and the only noise in the apartment was Nora loudly counting pushups in her bedroom. Nino led Alya over to the couch and pulled her down next to him. "OK, babe. You've been quieter than usual since we got home. Let's talk through this." He took his girlfriend's hands in his and waited, his eyes searching hers.

Alya took a deep breath, then another. Her mouth opened, and then she shut it. She took off her glasses and closed her eyes. A single tear rolled down her cheek and landed on Nino's arm. Seeing Alya like this - _strong, confident, optimistic_ Alya - was so alien to Nino that he had a hard time deciding how to process it. _Be brave. Be strong. Be her hero._ He scanned the room for butterflies - _just in case_ \- while he waited for Alya to be able to find words.

"I couldn't stop it," Alya whispered.

Nino rubbed circles into the backs of Alya's hands and waited for her to continue.

"I couldn't stop it, and I had to sit there and _watch you..._. You got the shell up in time to save me, but I couldn't do anything for you, and I just… sat there. I couldn't even get any revenge on the akuma for hurting you because I was in the shell. Which I'm grateful for, don't get me wrong… but _man_, right now I just feel absolutely useless as a superhero." The words flowed out of Alya like water from a dam that was about to crack. Nino knew Alya was under a lot of pressure. All the heroes were under pressure lately. Between akumas and sentimonsters and helping out for non-magical disasters, they were in demand. And when they showed up, they had to perform. There were no second chances for the heroes, not since Stoneheart.

Nino squeezed Alya's hands, "Babe… I'm OK. Ladybug fixed it. She always does. It's an occupational hazard -"

"That's _fine_ that she fixed it but _Nino_ I sat there and _watched you die_. I swear, if Hawk Moth ever learns how to do multiple akumas again, Rena Rage would have shown up in a heartbeat. And that would have made it even more difficult for Ladybug. You -" her voice hitched, and tears came unbidden "- you _never would have come back_. Honestly, Nino, if I have to sit here and watch you get hurt every time I put the mask on, I'd rather go hide. I used to idolize superheroes… but nobody tells you what they have to go through." Her eyes fixed on the logo on Nino's shirt. "I need to be stronger, and _I'm not sure if I can get there._"

"Babe, if that's all you're worried about right now, I can help you. Let's lean on each other. I've got your back in and out of the mask. We can do this… together." He squeezed her hands again for emphasis.

"I'm going to need the help. Everything just feels like it's falling apart. If it were just today, I could probably handle it. Probably. But with how bad yesterday went, things just feel like they're piling on one after another. _First_, some _idiot_ is out there posting stuff as the _Ladyblog_. If I ever get my hands on them, I'm gonna smack them across their face for taking my good name. And if I didn't know any better, I think that post was designed to make Chloe mad so someone would get akumatized! Nobody else in Paris would have that reaction. There's gotta be somebody who knows just how bad Chloe is doing and feels like they can help it along."

"Wait a minute." Nino failed to suppress a chuckle. "You're saying that _Hawk Moth_ is becoming a _social media wizard_?"

"I mean, I wouldn't rule him out, you know? He's had it in for Chloe for a while now. First with Antibug, then again with Queen Wasp, then using her family against her on Heroes Day… I don't know why Chloe doesn't go to New York with her mom for a while and lay low. It would probably do everybody some good."

"Dude… remember what Marinette told us about Chloe's mother? She didn't even remember her own daughter's name. If you're looking for Chloe to get a break, I'm not sure sending her to her mom's place is the best option." Nino smiled in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Alya chuckled. "You're right, of course. I guess we're stuck with her here, then. How on earth are we going to _do_ this, Nino? She's a wreck! We're all wrecks here. Especially Ladybug, because we have to _wake her up_ every time there's an akuma, which is almost daily at this point. I tried _so hard_ yesterday, but I couldn't stop Chloe and her butler got akumatized, and I had to sit there and not _do anything_ because even though the akuma didn't take me out it's not like I was effective just standing around and puking on my boots every time I looked at him! _Aaaaaagh! _What are we going to do?"

The count of "two hundred thirty-nine, two hundred forty" came from down the call as Nino and Alya fell silent.

"Babe, how about we try - and hear me out on this - being Chloe's friend? It's not supposed to be a _job_ going over there… and even though we are on duty, maybe we can make it fun? Or better yet… we can be Chloe's friend outside of the masks, too." He put his hands up when Alya opened her mouth. "Hear me out, babe. We tell Chloe all the time that she doesn't need the mask to be a hero! We can be heroes outside of the masks, too - and I don't just mean by doing parkour every now and again. Let's try to be Chloe's friend and see what happens."

"I'd rather face a thousand Hawk Moths… you know that, right?"

"I know, babe. But we've gotta do something. How about you treat her to a manicure or something?"

Alya huffed, but there was a smile on her lips when she did it. "Maybe I'll leave that one up to you. But either way, you owe me big time."

* * *

"Tikki? Here, I've got more cookies for you… here… eat as many as you need! Please… don't go to sleep on me just yet; we need to talk." Marinette was sitting at her desk, piling cookies in front of her kwami.

Tikki's eyes were half-lidded as she sat next to Marinette's mousepad, struggling to finish her cookie and stay awake. She nodded and kept chewing, waving her hand in a manner that Marinette took to mean _go ahead, I'm listening_.

"We need to get to Hawk Moth _soon_, Tikki. I'm not sure how much more of this I can take. I mean, I love being Ladybug, don't get me wrong. I love saving Paris. But he seems to be getting more and more desperate with each akuma. And there are _so many_, Tikki… you're exhausted, I'm exhausted… I'm just worried that some day soon we're going to mess up bad." Tikki finished the cookie she was eating. "Do you want another one?"

"Not yet, Marinette, thanks." Tikki paused to yawn. She looked like a kitten when she yawned. Ordinarily Marinette would think it was cute, but she had seen Tikki tired so much recently that she just felt bad for her instead. "Hawk Moth is getting more relentless, it's true. But I believe in you and your ability to stop him!"

"Tikki, I have no idea how we're going to do that at this point! We keep stopping him, sure, but stopping him _for good_?"

"Maybe you can ask Adrien how to do that."

Marinette waved her arms. "Adrien wouldn't _know!_ He was sent back in time because Hawk Moth got _worse_, not _better!_ Besides, he wasn't even _there_ at the battle." She knocked over a cup of sketching markers on her desk, scattering them around the room.. She groaned and started picking them up.

"You should go ask him why, Marinette."

"_Ask_ him? It's _Adrien_… I mean, he's not _my_ Adrien, but still, it's _an_ Adrien… and you know how Marinettes act around Adriens, Tikki. Future or no, that boy has some sort of _power_ over me and you know it!"

"Why don't you show me how you act around him, Marinette? Go pay him a visit." Tikki floated up and nudged Marinette on the shoulder.

Marinette narrowed her eyes at her friend. "You're really set on me visiting him, aren't you?" She sighed. "It's not like you've ever steered me wrong in the past, Tikki. I think I _will_ go visit Adrien. Spots on!"

The trip to Adrien's hideout was relatively uneventful. Ladybug swung down to help a young couple whose dog had gotten off-leash recover their pet. Traffic was heavier than usual, necessitating a more roundabout route. She landed in an alley convenient to the old Agreste warehouse. "Spots off." Marinette checked to see if anybody was watching, then stole to the warehouse door and rapped sharply on it.

The door opened and Adrien - looking very sleepy - peered out. He opened the door wider and beckoned Marinette to enter. When Marinette came in, he closed the door and went over to the cot, where he plopped down theatrically. "What brings you by?"

"Where were you today?" Marinette tried her best to keep the note of hurt out of her voice but failed. "You are supposed to be here to protect me, and I could have used it."

Adrien reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah - yeah, about that. I was transformed and on my way to see you when, uh… let's just say something happened, Bug. I'm not the best with the yo-yo and remember your first time out as Ladybug? How you got all tangled up and stuff? Picture that." He grinned, but there was something _off_ about it that Marinette couldn't place.

"What is it with everybody calling me _Bug_ all of a sudden? And… when did I tell _you_ about my first time out as Ladybug? That was easily one of the top ten mortifying moments in my life that _didn't_ involve you!" She started pacing back and forth. "This is a…"

"Disaster, yes." Adrien interrupted.

Marinette stopped pacing and glared at him.

"Except it's not a disaster at all, Bu- _Marinette_. It's really not. You - Future You - obviously trusts me enough to know all this stuff about you. Present You should maybe start to wonder why?"

"Present Marinette isn't even sure that she trusts you, Ladybug gear or not."

"Fair. Other than saving you from being akumatized and helping you with that akuma last night, how can I prove it to you?" Adrien was smiling. The corners of his eyes crinkled as the smile lit up his gorgeous face. It was definitely Adrien - or someone who was very good at masquerading as Adrien. What could only Adrien and Marinette know? He tapped his square jaw with his index finger. "You used to obsess over me. You had notes about my schedule on your schedule. That first time when Gigantitan was akumatized, you were stalking me with your friends to set up a situation where we would have a romantic date… and then you turned me down when I offered you a ride home."

"You could have heard that from any of the girls." Marinette folded her arms.

"OK, fine… don't make me play my trump card. Let me try this instead. Your flavor at André's was _peach pink like his lips and mint like his eyes…_"

"You weren't there when that happened, so you _had _to have heard that from somebody."

Adrien rolled his eyes and sighed. He beckoned Marinette closer. When she got close enough, he sat up and whispered in her ear.

Marinette flushed a million shades of crimson. There was no way that Adrien would know _that_ unless he had seen it in person. Marinette squeaked. She was so warm that she thought she wouldn't be warmer if the sun was swallowing the earth - not that she'd mind that happening, either. Disaster? Yes. This _totally_ qualified as a disaster.

And Adrien - beautiful, funny, kind, Adrien - was _laughing_ at her.

Maybe _disaster_ wasn't strong enough. This was more like a major cataclysmic event. Her mind idly wandered to what it would be like to be Chat Noir and wield his power just long enough to make a giant hole for herself to crawl into and disappear forever.

* * *

Chat Noir landed as quietly as he was able on the balcony of Le Grand Paris. He shielded his eyes and put his face to the glass of the window, straining to see if Chloe was in there. It was technically past the time when Chloe Duty had ended for the evening, but he had promised her that he would check in with her after the battle was over. He pressed his face closer, hoping that his enhanced night vision would reveal something that would reassure him.

_There._ A figure underneath bedsheets that was moving gently and rhythmically up-and-down. He listened closely with his cat ears and heard light snoring. Asleep, then. A sleeping Chloe was a safe Chloe, as far as he was concerned. He turned away and leaped into the Paris evening.


	8. Not on My Watch

Marinette woke up the next morning not feeling the slightest bit rested. The bedsheets - at least, the ones that were still on her bed - were tangled around her legs. She adjusted her top, which was stuck to her back from sweat, and pulled her cat pillow out from between her bed and the wall. She looked at her kwami, who was laying on her pillow staring at the ceiling. "Tikki, I hope you got better rest than I did last night."

"I slept OK, Marinette. Hopefully we don't need Ladybug today, though. I could use the extra rest." Tikki snuggled deeper into the pillow and closed her eyes.

"I'll try not to _bug _you too much, then. Can I ask you a question, though, Tikki?"

The kwami hummed in response.

"I need to get in touch with Chat. I promised him I'd try to get in touch with him two akumas ago, and we haven't had time yet. My communicator isn't working the greatest for some reason… _plus_ I have to be transformed in order to use it, and I really don't want to do that unless I absolutely have to. How have Ladybugs and Chat Noirs handled this in the past? I'd rather not wait for the next akuma to see him again. I mean, you and Plagg are two halves of a whole, right? Do you have a way of contacting him?"

Tikki grinned wickedly. "It's a shame you turned Chat down when he came for breakfast that one time, Marinette. Otherwise, he'd probably be over here all the time and you wouldn't be able to get rid of him."

The urge to smack Tikki was strong. "Me, turn _him_ down? He turned _me_ down and then Dad got akumatized -"

"Marinette, _breathe! _I was only joking. Partly. You've imitated an akuma before with Alya and Cardboard Girl, maybe you can do something that would get Chat over here again somehow?"

"Hmm… actually, Tikki, that's not a bad idea! But how would I lure him over here as Marinette so he could talk to Ladybug? Won't he get suspicious?"

"Good point. Why don't you just call Mrs. Chamack as Ladybug and ask her to announce that Chat needs to meet you somewhere? That seems safe enough."

"But that would attract attention from a lot of people, though - I'd rather not have to feel obligated to deal with fans right now. Not that I mind, but it's too much stress on you right now. We need a solution that will cause Chat to show up and everybody else to go away."

"You already have that, Marinette… that app that tells you when there's an akuma! If you can get whoever is in charge to set it off, then Chat will show up, people will leave, and then just cancel the alert!"

"Wow, Tikki, that's amazing! That's a fantastic idea, thank you so much! But… I can't just call the police and say that I'm Ladybug… they won't believe me." She frowned. "Are you sure you're OK with me going in person?"

"It'll be worth it, Marinette. Just make sure you use this time wisely. Set up a way for you to contact each other outside of the suits for next time."

"You've got it, Tikki. You're the best! I don't know what I would do without you." Marinette called for her transformation and swung over to the nearest police station.

* * *

"But you've gotta let us in!" Alya crossed her arms and glared at Chloe's butler, whose stoic demeanor was beginning to fracture.

"Mademoiselle, I am sorry to have to disappoint you, but I have already mentioned that Monsieur The Mayor has ordered that there are to be no unnecessary visitors until we can be certain that Hawk Moth has stopped attempting to akumatize the girl or use her to cause other people to be akumatized." His eyes were folded, but he looked from Alya to Nino with something that resembled tenderness.

Alya's internal Loophole Alarm started sounding, and she pounced on the opportunity. "Well, then, can she visit _us_? I mean, she doesn't have to be shut in her _room_ or anything, why can't we just take her around the hotel? She's still here, and we won't be in her room alone, so that's not breaking any rules, right?"

The butler fidgeted.

"My mother works at the restaurant, let's at least take her down for dessert. We'll have her back here right afterwards. Promise!" Alya forced a wide smile onto her face that she hoped didn't betray any of her deep-seated discomfort at trying to be friends with Chloe. Nino put an arm around her and gave a thumbs-up to the butler in an attempt to persuade him. Alya also noticed that Nino had a very large smile pasted onto his face. She had to stop herself from giggling at the absurdity of the situation.

"You know… Mademoiselle Chloe does not get to see many people. After… the last incident with the akuma, Mademoiselle Sabrina is no longer allowed here." He lowered his voice and checked down the hall to see if anybody was listening. "Not many people want to visit Mademoiselle. I'm sure that if you did not leave the hotel, it would be okay." He looked over his shoulder at the closed door. "Wait here. I will summon her." He disappeared into the room and Alya held her breath.

Nino leaned over and spoke out of the corner of his mouth. "We're doing the right thing, babe."

Alya answered in the same manner. "I'll keep telling myself that."

A minute later, the door opened. "Lahiffe? Césaire? What are _you two_ doing… I mean, how nice of you to come by! To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"We wanted to take you for some dessert down at my mom's restaurant. You interested?"

"Dessert at Daddy's restaurant? Why would -"

The butler cleared his throat.

Chloe sighed. "No, you're right. Sorry, I haven't been myself lately. Wait here, I'll get my purse." She turned to her butler. "I'll be back in an hour."

* * *

Nino, Alya, and Chloe had just exited the elevator at Le Grand Paris when a cacophony of phone alerts sounded around them. Alya frowned and pulled her phone from her pocket. "An akuma?" Her face fell, and she looked at Nino and Chloe, who both seemed apprehensive.

"It wasn't me!" Chloe immediately shouted.

"Looks like this one's at the Eiffel Tower." Nino looked at Alya with a determined expression on his face. "Are you going to go cover this one for the _Ladyblog_?"

"Wait… don't go." Chloe's voice was very small. "The akuma's far away, and… I wouldn't mind dessert." She looked down at the ground. "Please?"

Alya's eyes widened. Out of all the outcomes of going to the hotel, she wasn't expecting Chloe to actually _want_ to hang out with them. Akumas - and saving Paris - were a priority. But helping Chloe out was _also_ a priority. And both Nino and Alya leaving Chloe alone so suddenly was out of the question. She ran her finger over her shirt, feeling the hard metal of the chain underneath it.

"I'll go." Nino smiled, but Alya was able to recognize the determination in his eyes that surfaced whenever they were called upon to be heroes. "You're always putting yourself in the line of fire trying to get the best angle whenever there's an akuma; I can take some of that heat off of you for once." The hidden meaning of his words was apparent. "If the akuma's still around after your girl time, then you can come be proud of my work. Deal?"

"Deal." Alya met his gaze and gave him her best _be safe_ eyes in response.

Nino turned and ran out the front door of the hotel.

Alya took a deep breath, grabbed Chloe's hand, and led her to the restaurant. "So… dessert it is! What kind of things do you like?"

* * *

Adrien was laying on his bed scrolling through the _Ladyblog_ when the phone vibrated out of his hands, hitting him in the face before he could react. He yelped and picked up the phone, rubbing his nose. "That was an akuma alert, Plagg! Time to transform!" He squinted at the phone screen through watery eyes. "The Eiffel Tower, huh? _Claws out!"_

Chat Noir opened the bedroom window and propelled himself to the Tower, ready for battle.

* * *

In another room in the Agreste mansion, Nathalie Sancoeur looked up from her computer to see her boss swiping at his phone screen. "An akuma alert?" Gabriel muttered. "The police can't even get this one right. There's a reason why all my akumas look so outlandish! We can't have Ladybug and Chat Noir chasing _everything_ that is suspicious." He sighed and returned his attention to his computer screen.

"You know, Sir…" Nathalie bit off her sentence before she could complete it. "Nevermind, it's probably just an error, like you said."

Gabriel raised his eyebrows. "What is it?"

"It's nothing, Sir."

"Speak your mind, Nathalie." The steel in his voice was hardening, and Nathalie knew she couldn't dodge any more questions.

"It's just…" Nathalie bit her lip and hummed. "There are two Ladybug heroes all of a sudden. What if there's another Hawk Moth out there creating akumas now? Remember what you told me Timetagger said… you weren't Hawk Moth in the future. Maybe whoever created this akuma is the new Hawk Moth?"

_Bang!_ Nathalie flinched as Gabriel slammed his fist down on the computer terminal so hard it fell over. "I refuse to accept that, Nathalie. I refuse to accept that _someone else_ is Hawk Moth. This is _my_ work, _my_ labor of love, _my_ passion! Who is… this… this… _imposter_ that they thwart me in my finest hour?" He stalked out of the room, muttering under his breath.

Nathalie made a quick note to have the company come fix Gabriel's computer terminal - _again_ \- and got back to work, wondering if there was any way to stop what she had set off.

* * *

Ladybug waited on an observation deck near the top of the Eiffel Tower. The civilians had been cleared off and the surrounding area around the Tower had also been evacuated. The telltale _clanks_ of a metal baton being used to scale the landmark came from below. In seconds, Chat Noir arrived on the observation deck, crouched and obviously on high alert.

"You OK, My Lady? Where's the akuma?" He scanned the skies.

"Relax, Kitty, there's no akuma. Not now, anyway. I just needed to get your attention because we need to talk. Sorry if I pulled you away from anything important to do this."

Chat Noir's eyes narrowed, and he readied his baton and took a fighting stance.

"Kitty? What are you doing?"

"Akuma alert at the Eiffel Tower… _you're_ here… telling me there's no akuma. What have you done with Ladybug?"

Ladybug's heartbeat raced. This wasn't supposed to happen! She wanted to talk to her teammate, not fight him! "_Chat!_ It's me, honest!"

"You have one more sentence to prove it." He spun his baton and took another step toward her.

"The passphrase!" Her words spilled out of her mouth unbidden. "For Chloe Duty! It's _The Cat's Pajamas. _You got to pick it! _Please_, Chat Noir! It's really me!"

Chat's baton abruptly stopped spinning. He retracted it and stowed it above his belt. "...My Lady?" His voice was tentative, as if he still didn't trust her.

"I'm sorry! I just know at the last akuma on Chloe's balcony I promised you that we would get together and talk about things and we haven't gotten the chance yet and my communicator is glitching out and I couldn't use that to contact you so I went with the next best thing and instead you came up here ready to kick my -"

"Ladybug, _stop_." Chat smirked. "I don't think I've ever seen you lose control like that before. It's kind of cute."

Ladybug made a face. Flirty Chat was something she could handle - but this was serious business. "Now's not the time, Chat. We need to figure out how to get in touch with each other so I don't have to pull this anymore. That reminds me… can I use your communicator real quick, please?"

Chat pulled out his baton, opened his communicator, and handed it to her. She dialed the special number the lieutenant had given her. When they answered, she said, "This is Ladybug. You can call off the akuma alert now. Thank you for your help." She ended the call and handed the baton back to Chat, who closed and replaced it.

"Now… where was I? Oh yeah, we need to get in touch with each other outside of the masks somehow. I know you've suggested a phone in the past, but I still don't feel comfortable using that as an option. Do you have any other suggestions?"

Chat hummed. "I saw a secret code in an old spy movie once. There was a designated spot, or spots, around the city. If one person needed to meet the other, they would take a piece of chalk and mark the spot. Maybe we can do that? If I need to meet you, I'll draw a cat face. If you need to meet me, draw a bug. How does that sound? Check for the mark each day by five, and if we need to meet, be at the rendez-vous point at seven."

"That's… actually not a bad idea, Chat. Where should our spots be?"

"Your spots are on your costume, My Lady." He laughed at the Look that Ladybug gave him. "Sorry, I couldn't resist! How about the Ladybug and Chat Noir sculpture in Place des Vosges? We'll start there and if we need to use other places, we'll -" He leaped back as a green shield _clanged_ between them.

"Carapace! You saw the akuma alert too? Where's Rena Rouge?" Ladybug turned. Carapace wasn't answering; rather, he was looking from Ladybug to Chat Noir, studying them intensely.

"Passphrase." His voice was short and clipped. His shield returned to him and he caught it without looking and moved it to a defensive position in front of him..

"On three, Bug? One, two, three."

"_The Cat's Pajamas._"

Carapace lowered his shield. "Where's the akuma?"

"It's… complicated." Ladybug looked at her feet. "I'm sorry for luring you out here, Carapace. I just needed to get ahold of Chat and we didn't have any other way to do it."

"It's all good, my friends. I've gotta go do some heroing of my own somewhere else, anyway. Later, dudes!" He gave a quick salute and leaped off the Tower.

"I wonder where he's going." Chat stared at the bouncing green speck until it disappeared in the distance. "Anyway, My Lady… was that it? Or do you bring news of another dashing blond superhero for me as well?"

"He's not _dashing_, Chat…"

"So you're saying _I_ am?"

"Chat… this is serious. He claims he's from the future -"

"The _FUTURE?!"_ Chat's attitude went from debonair to distressed in an instant. The transformation was so sudden that Ladybug began to regret telling him.

"Let me finish, Chat, please… yes, from the future. And he was sent back here to keep me from getting akumatized. Apparently, Hawk Moth manages to akumatize me and uses that to really start trying to take over the world in earnest."

"Wait, _what_? Akumatize _you_? You're like, in the top two or three people I can't picture ever getting akumatized. I wonder what happened…"

Ladybug began quickly pacing the platform. "It's not important, Chat." _Turn._ "And to be honest, I don't even _know_." _Turn._ "But we can't let it happen. Mister Bug is here to stop that from happening." _Turn._ "And if we stop Hawk Moth along the way, so much the better." She bumped into Chat, who had moved into her path.

He put his hands on her shoulders. "Hey… Bug… it'll be OK. We'll get through this together. Thanks for telling me. I'm glad you can trust me enough to open up like that."

A throat cleared from a different part of the observation deck. Ladybug and Chat Noir jumped and whirled to face the source of the noise. Mister Bug was standing there, his back to them, facing the Arc de Triomphe. "Guys? I hate to break up the love-fest - more than you know, believe me - but we've got another issue here. Look!" He pointed toward the Arc.

Ladybug followed the direction he was pointing in until she saw it. She nearly screamed in frustration, but reigned herself in at the last possible moment. At the worst possible time, there was a giant purple… _thing_… making its way around the Arc, smashing everything with reach into rubble. Ladybug heard screaming in the distance as people ran in every direction in an attempt to escape the beast.

"Akuma?" Chat squinted into the distance and frowned.

"No, worse." Ladybug grit her teeth. "A sentimonster." Akumas usually followed sentimonsters like thunder followed lightning. Ladybug not only wanted to get this over with quickly, but without an akuma visible, there was most likely a butterfly waiting in the wings to akumatize someone. She didn't want to be the second part of Hawk Moth's one-two punch. "We're going to have our hands full with this one, I'm afraid. C'mon, boys, let's get this done." Without waiting for a response, she flung her yo-yo into the Paris sky and launched herself at the magical creature.


	9. High Noon (Part One)

Ladybug gaped at the sentimonster as she approached it. It appeared to be at least four times her size, with broad shoulders and a thick trunk. Its head was slightly sunken into its torso, giving it a hunched appearance. Its muscular arms ended in mallet-like hands. Its skin was a sleek purplish-black material that looked impenetrable. "I can't tell what this thing is supposed to be! Any weak points? Chat, can you go forward and scout it a bit? Mister Bug and I will flank it and try to bring it down before it does any more damage." Ladybug's voice was determined as usual, but inside, her nerves were buzzing. A sentimonster was never good news. Furthermore, one had never been as destructive as this one. There had been a butterfly and a giant lollipop monster before, but this one seemed to be nothing short of destruction personified.

"On it, My Lady!" Chat vaulted ahead of the group and Ladybug could see him quickly circling the sentimonster in an attempt to get a read on it. The sentimonster brought down two large mallet-like hands as Chat passed in its range. It wasn't lightning-fast, and they hoped that would be a point in their favor as they worked to bring it down.

"On its left, Mister Bug." Ladybug didn't wait for a response and swung over to the right of the sentimonster. She wrapped her yo-yo string around the right leg of the monster and pulled hard. If she could stop it, or at least trip it, then that would be a great start toward defeating it. She noticed that Mister Bug was mirroring her actions on its other leg.

The result was them getting quickly dragged along the streets of Paris as the monster continued its inexorable journey toward wherever. Ladybug dug her heels in like a recalcitrant toddler in an effort to slow its progress. Chat continued to attempt to drag the monster off course to a place where he and the Bugs could deal with it, but even though they outnumbered it three-to-one, they were no match for the creature. Sentimonsters wanted to fight, and they were very good at it. One of the mallets connected with Chat, driving him hundreds of meters in the air as if he were nothing more than a golf ball.

"Let's regroup, this isn't working!" Mister Bug released his yo-yo and sprinted off in the direction of where Chat Noir was headed.

Ladybug nodded and rewound her yo-yo, following her new counterpart toward the Eiffel Tower. The monster pursued them as they retreated, smashing buildings along Avenue Kléber as they got closer to the Trocadero.

"This thing packs a wallop, whatever it is." Chat landed between them and shook his head. "I'm OK, just a little shaken up. Try to avoid its hands." He spun his baton. "What's plan B, My Lady?"

"We've got to stop it from doing any more damage. Any idea if the police were able to get an Akuma Alert off for this thing?" She hoped that two alerts in quick succession wouldn't cause the populace to be complacent and regretted her method of summoning Chat earlier. "Chat, can you try to raise Carapace on his communicator?"

A large mallet-like hand crashed in front of her, driving her backwards. Cursing at letting herself get distracted like that, she spun her yo-yo and began scanning the monster for a sign of weakness. With sentimonsters in the past, the strategy had always been to find what the associated object was and destroy it. With no object in sight and no clues as to what would have caused the sentimonster, they weren't going to have it as easy. Plus, there was the threat of Mayura lurking around the corner as well. A pit formed in Ladybug's stomach. Not that akuma battles were ever _fun_, but over the past few weeks they had higher stakes to them. What she wouldn't give to just defeat Hawk Moth and get back to being a normal girl with a normal-

This time the mallet hit her, knocking her like a croquet ball between the two buildings at the Trocadero. She landed backwards on the stairs facing the Pont d'Iéna, and realized she had even more reasons to curse now.

There, at the base of the Eiffel Tower, was a ten-foot creature that could only be an akuma. Tall, but not as tall as the sentimonster. Its costume was red on one side and blue on the other, the colors divided vertically down the middle. It had a red-and-blue striped tail. Its head was completely covered and it had one glowing red eye and one glowing blue eye. The effect was if two people had been fused together into one akuma.

That must have been the sentimonster's purpose all along: to beat the heroes up and lure them back to the Tower so the akuma could have easy pickings. She scanned the area for her teammates and was barely able to roll out of the way of another crushing blow. She was too distracted. With Mister Bug and Chat Noir each taking one of her arms and pulling her off to the side, she was momentarily out of danger, but she wouldn't stay out of danger until she could get her head 100% in the game.

The sentimonster continued along the Pont d'Iéna and joined the akuma at the base of the Tower.

"Plan C, then, Bug?" Chat Noir was staring at the Tower. "Sorry - I mean, _Ladybug._ That's going to be hard to keep you two straight."

"Just don't call me _My Man_ and we'll be good." Mister Bug was looking at Chat with a smile on his face. It was the same smile Ladybug had seen Nino give Chris when Chris would do something Nino thought was especially clever: a mixture of pride and fondness.

"I was about to say that, actually." Chat frowned, then brightened considerably. "Great minds think alike, I guess!"

Ladybug groaned. How was she going to keep her mind on the battle with _these_ two dorks around?

Carapace and Rena Rouge landed next to them. "Sorry we're late… we got here as soon as we could." Rena looked nervous, Ladybug realized.

"It's OK, we were just getting started." Ladybug grinned to reassure her. "OK, since we're all here -" Rena and Carapace shared a look "- let's get to work. Who do we think is the biggest threat? The sentimonster or the akuma?"

"There's more of us than there are of them. And with double the luck on our side, I like our chances!"

"I hope you're right, Kitty. Let's keep working on that sentimonster. Rena Rouge, Carapace: you two get that akuma. Signal one of us when you've identified the object so we can break and purify it."

* * *

"Any idea what the akuma might do?" Carapace called out to Ladybug as they crossed the bridge.

"I have no idea. Usually when we come across an akuma, it's already been terrorizing people. This is the first time one's been waiting for us. Don't get too close - that last akuma was bad news, and for all we know this one could be just as bad."

Rena Rouge shuddered.

"Welcome, _heroes_. We are Empathy!" The akuma's voice screeched like a discordant violin. "You will give us your Miraculous, or you—"

"Skip it, Bad Cosplay Spider-Man." Chat Noir grinned. "We've seen this show before. Bet Hawk Moth didn't tell you how it ends, huh?"

The akuma laughed and it sounded like shattering glass. "We'll see how you _feel _after I'm done with you!"

Rena Rouge started toward the akuma and it immediately fired an energy beam of some sort. Carapace shifted to try to block her, but they both wound up getting hit by the beam.

"Are you hurt?" Ladybug scanned the pair for any obvious injuries.

"I'm not, I don't think." Rena mimed some karate kicks and shrugged.

"I'm not, either."

Ladybug scratched her head. "I wonder what the akuma's powers are, then?" If Rena Rouge and Carapace weren't injured by the akuma, then maybe they would have more of a chance against it.

The akuma laughed. "You think you're not affected? Why don't you ask yourselves how the other... is _feeling_?"

"What on earth are you talking about?" Rena Rouge resumed her attack. "Hope you weren't hoping to win today!" She leaped onto the akuma and started punching it.

"_Fool! _Just wait until you see what you've done!" Empathy wrapped their left foot around Rena Rouge's leg, then kicked above her knee with the other foot.

"Nice try, but that didn't hurt!"

Ladybug noticed Carapace holding his leg in pain. "Are you OK?"

Carapace hissed out an affirmative, then suddenly buckled forward and grabbed the small of his back. What was this attack? Did The akuma have a voodoo doll hidden somewhere? Carapace grabbed the side of his head and yelled. Ladybug needed to figure something out before they were down a hero.

Rena Rouge's voice came from behind her. "I don't know what you're talking about, Empathy! I could do this all day!" She was standing in a fighting pose, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "I must be feeling good, because what you're doing isn't hurting me at all!"

The akuma punched Rena Rouge in the stomach, and Carapace fell forward, gasping for air.

"Rena Rouge! Regroup!" Ladybug's mind was racing toward a conclusion that she didn't want to arrive at. She had to know for sure, though.

Rena Rouge leaped away from the akuma, who did not pursue. She landed next to Carapace and Ladybug joined them.

"I need to test something." Ladybug reached out and gently flicked Rena Rouge on the nose. Carapace flinched and grabbed his face. "Hmm, I was afraid of that. Let me try it the other way." She flicked Carapace on the nose, and Rena's eyes started watering. "Hey! What did you do that for?"

"Don't you see? Any damage that _you_ take, _he_ feels… and vice-versa. We're _really _going to have to stay out of the way of the akuma this time."

Rena started taking short, gasping breaths. "Do you mean to tell me that whenever I was letting myself get hit… it was hurting _him?_" She pointed a shaking hand at Carapace.

"I'm afraid so, Rena Rouge." Ladybug recognized the mounting feeling of dread in Rena Rouge's voice.

Carapace cut in. "Not your fault, babe."

"_Not my fault!_ I _couldn't stop the akuma_ at the hotel, I _watched you die_ yesterday, and now if I try to fight, _you get hurt?!_ What the _hell_, Hawk Moth? That… that…" she used a few words that Ladybug wasn't inclined to argue with.

"You couldn't have known, OK? Let's just focus on getting through this… together." Carapace reached out and put his hand on Rena's arm.

Rena snatched her arm away and hugged herself, rocking back and forth on her feet. "I can't do this. I can't watch other people get hurt because of what I did. And no matter what I do, somebody always gets hurt." She raised her eyes defiantly. "_You_ go fight. I can take the pain. It's the least I can do to make up for my screwups."

"_Babe_? What are you talking about?"

Ladybug interrupted. "Um… I don't want to sound insensitive, but we have a bigger problem right now. Rena, I trust you to make the right decision. Carapace, we'll still outnumber these two without you. But you need to choose now; we can't let anything else happen."

Rena Rouge looked at Carapace and spoke softly. "Ladybug will fix it, Carapace. She always does - it's an occupational hazard."

Carapace nodded. "If this is what you want. I'll go easy on you, I promise. Stay safe." He marched over toward the akuma.

"Be ready to use your illusion, Rena. You're still useful, even if you're not in direct combat." Ladybug placed a hand on Rena's shoulder and gently squeezed, mindful that it would be Carapace feeling the reassurance.

Despite her brave words, the heroes were one person down, and while they had the greater numbers, Ladybug felt completely outmatched. Did she have time to go to Master Fu's and get Queen Bee? Were there any other options at this point? She looked at her yo-yo and forced herself to make a decision. They were here now and losing another hero would put them at even more of a disadvantage. If she called for her Lucky Charm and it told her to go to Master Fu's, then she would go. Otherwise, they had to face their foes as-is.

She took a deep breath and went after the akuma, taking Rena Rouge's place in the battle.

* * *

Chat Noir continued to get mauled by the sentimonster. He yowled and screeched as it battered him around like a child's toy. Desperate, he planted his baton on the ground and pressed the green paw-print as soon as the creature was over him. The baton extended rapidly and caught the sentimonster underneath its chin. Its head snapped back and the creature recoiled, giving Chat an opportunity to catch his breath.

Mister Bug used his yo-yo to pull Chat out of the way. They hid in an alcove underneath one of the Tower supports, where the sentimonster couldn't reach. A hushed conversation followed. "Look, uh, Chat… let's work together as a team on this one. You're getting creamed and it's honestly painful to watch."

"Thanks, I think? Any suggestions?"

"Let's try and trap it somewhere. Remember what you did with Gorizilla? Hmm… might not work here because the sewers are directly below. Is there anything else...?" He tapped his chin.

"Wait, how do you know about Gorizilla? You weren't there!"

"Oh! Um… trust me on this one. Chat Noir's exploits are, err… _historic. _I know all about them!" Mister Bug gave Chat a wide smile that Chat vaguely recognized.

"If you say so! Wow… historic, huh?"

Mister Bug rolled his eyes. "Don't get cocky, kid." He peered from under the support.

The monster stood still, head cocked, nostrils flaring. Chat couldn't determine if the monster was trying to locate them using sound or smell at this point, but it wasn't his intention to stick around and find out. Hoping that he could move as silently as his namesake, he very slowly and carefully scaled the Tower, hoping to get above the sentimonster for an aerial attack.

* * *

Ladybug attempted to draw the akuma's attention away from Carapace so he didn't take much damage. Even with her efforts, he got in the way of the occasional punch, causing Rena Rouge to cry out when he got hit.

She swung back to Rena and crouched down in front of her. "I need an illusion. Something big to get the akuma's attention. Something threatening. Can you do that for me, please?"

Rena sniffled and nodded an affirmative. Shaking, she played her flute and called "Mirage!"

A large clown appeared on the other side of the tower and started toward them.

"_That _was the most threatening thing you could think of?" Ladybug almost stuck her hand in her face, but decided it wouldn't be the best for her friend's morale.

"I'm sorry… it was the scariest thing I could think of." She shrank in on herself and her voice dropped to a whisper. "I'm terrified of clowns."

"We'll have to make do. Thanks. Go take shelter and recharge. Yell when you are ready again and _don't get hurt_."

"O — OK, Ladybug." She turned and ran off behind the service elevator.

Ladybug watched the clown dance and float its way slowly toward the akuma. Maybe Rena had a point; the thing gave her the creeps. She leaped up to a higher platform to strategize and immediately collided with Chat.

Chat rubbed his forehead where they had hit. "Ow! Meeting of the minds, Bug?"

His voice attracted the attention of both the akuma and the sentimonster. The monster swung at Ladybug and Chat, who dove out of the way.

A bright light enveloped them both. Ladybug felt a… mixture of embarrassment and _love? What?_ Her stomach fell. _Chat!_

She met his gaze, wondering how they were going to handle this particular problem. At least she could feel that he was thinking the same thing.

* * *

Out of nowhere, Hawk Moth and Mayura landed on the other side of the platform from them. Hawk Moth clapped slowly. "Hello, _heroes_." Hawk Moth's voice dripped with sarcasm. "It's so nice of you to be able to come to my little _soirée_ today."

"I'm OK with the dress code, but your choice of guests leaves something to be desired." Chat Noir toyed with his tail. "You ready to give us your Miraculous?"

"Impudent as ever, Chat Noir. I should ask you the same thing. Because _nothing_ will stop me from leaving the Tower today without your Miraculous! I've waited too long and failed too many times. This ends _today!"_

Chat Noir leaped at Hawk Moth, twirling his baton. Hawk Moth swatted him aside and Chat crashed onto the ground underneath the Tower, where the sentimonster set upon him again.

Ladybug felt pain like she had never felt before in her life. It was as if someone had strapped grenades to her suit and was setting them off one by one. This wasn't like normal, where the suit would absorb punishment. This was a special torture. She willed Mister Bug to get Chat out of there before anybody found out the limits of the magical damage they could take. _Alya's not transformed! Crap!_ Carapace went soaring past her, having been pummeled into flight by the akuma. He passed through the clown Rena Rouge had conjured, dissolving it.

Mister Bug swooped in, retrieved Chat, and snatched Carapace from the air. "Take cover, you three. "I'll take Hawk Moth, Ladybug." He glared at the supervillain and spun his yo-yo in a wide circle.

"Go get Mayura, My Lady. If you beat her, you beat the sentimonster."

A wave of confidence swept over Ladybug, along with a smaller yet persistent feeling of love. Ladybug hoped that the firmness in her voice hid the distressed whine that was surely creeping up from her throat. "Chat - I don't want you to get hurt."

"I've taken hits for you for how long now? _Go._ I can handle it." He was giving her a soft-eyed look that would have made her heart melt on the spot if he were anyone but Chat.

Ladybug felt her chest well up with love again. It was a completely alien feeling for her since she was talking to her _partner_. She'd have to talk to Tikki about this later. In the meantime, there were supervillains to stop and Miraculous to get. She nodded. "Carapace - I think Rena Rouge is behind that service elevator. Go check in on her." She looked at Chat, smiled, and ran to meet Mayura.


	10. High Noon (Part Two)

Carapace ran behind the elevator, where he found Alya huddled on the ground. "_Babe?!"_ he cried, running forward to pick her up. "Are you okay?" His eyes frantically scanned Alya for damage.

"I'll get through this. Ladybug will fix it. Go make this worth it, though, OK? Don't worry about me." She reached up and cupped the side of his face.

"You should at least transform to keep from getting hurt as bad, though… is Trixx ready to go?"

Alya nodded and whispered her transformation phrase. There was an orange flash of light, and Rena Rouge stood up. She gave Carapace a hug and whispered in his ear. "Go get 'em."

* * *

"I don't believe I've seen you before." Hawk Moth stood at the ready as Mister Bug leaped toward him. "No matter - I can get _your_ Miraculous! You walked right into my trap!"

Mister Bug sneered. "The only person who is leaving here without a Miraculous is _you_, Hawk Moth. I've waited a long time for this. Longer than you realize." He flung his yo-yo at Hawk Moth, who knocked it aside with his cane.

Mister Bug dove at Hawk Moth, tackling him. The two grappled on the ground, clawing at the other's Miraculous.

* * *

"What's the matter, Ladybug? Couldn't your friends get the job done?" Mayura smirked and crouched in a fighting stance.

"Are you kidding me? They left me to get rid of the weakest link so I can warm up!" Attitude came easily in the face of danger, even with the pain from Chat getting ragdolled by the sentimonster still racking her body. Ladybug hoped she could back it up and not let her friends - or Paris - down. She holstered her yo-yo and bounced on the balls of her feet to focus on the fight ahead of her.

"You mock me now, but you won't mock me when I get your Miraculous!" Mayura charged at Ladybug and drove her back into a support beam.

The impact knocked the wind out of Ladybug but she was able to reverse the hold and pin Mayura against the Tower. Mayura retaliated by kicking Ladybug, driving her away. Ladybug rolled on the ground and stood up. She dusted herself off and went for Mayura again, intent on defeating her and getting her Miraculous before Mayura could do the same.

* * *

Carapace was using his shield as a weapon against the akuma. Since he had already been hit by the blast, he didn't feel the need to get out of the way of any beams. Punches, however, were a different story. Training with Alya wasn't the same as training against Nora, and it showed. The akuma didn't hit as hard as Anansi had, but Nino still didn't get out of the way of all of them. It's a shame turtles weren't better fighters. Crawling into your shell and hiding didn't make for the best offense.

The akuma didn't seem to have any other weapons than its fists, so Carapace just dodged as best as he could while trying to find the akumatized object. His plan was to use Shell-ter to trap everybody together so Ladybug - or Mister Bug - could come purify the butterfly. Timing had to be important, though - he couldn't defeat the akuma if both Ladybug and Mister Bug were occupied. If the butterfly escaped and multiplied, they would be in more trouble than they could handle.

He stole a glance over his shoulder. Mister Bug and Hawk Moth had either fallen or jumped off of the Tower platform they were on and were now grappling near the Pont d'Iéna. Ladybug and Mayura were having a standoff. Carapace grimaced. He was already feeling slightly anxious due to the akuma linking him to Rena Rouge. Even though he was an experienced DJ who could read the room and adjust on the fly, things were a bit different in the heat of battle.

He felt warmth on his chin. He ducked under his shield and touched his lip to see what it was. He gasped when he brought his hand back and saw blood on the tips of his fingers. He glanced back and saw his girlfriend, who had crept out from her hiding place and was sitting down, silently rocking back and forth. Whatever the heroes were doing, this wasn't working. He blocked another shot from the akuma, then ran back to Rena Rouge and scooped her up. He banged his shield three times in succession - their predetermined signal to retreat and regroup - and ran for cover.

Rena touched him on his chin. "Sorry… I was so focused on dealing with the pain from the blows you were taking that I bit through my lip." She smiled sadly. "I couldn't even stop you from getting hurt out there when I was getting hurt _for_ you."

"Relax, it's OK. We'll get through this." He took a few steps behind the service elevator and waited for the others to arrive.

* * *

Ladybug broke off her fight with Mayura and followed and Mister Bug as the heroes gathered behind the service elevator.

"This is getting very difficult! I don't know how on Earth we're going to pull this off!" Ladybug frowned. Carapace was rubbing circles on Rena Rouge's back. Rena Rouge was huddled up in a ball, shivering. Chat Noir and Mister Bug were standing there with similar poses, looking at her. "Here goes nothing… _Lucky Charm!_"

Two pairs of red-and-black-spotted handcuffs appeared.

Ladybug's shoulders drooped. She had gotten Lucky Charms that weren't immediately obvious in the past, but she had hoped for something straightforward. "What are these for? Are we supposed to chain ourselves together or something?"

She stuck her head around the corner and tried to assess the situation. Her eyes kept getting drawn to the akuma, then flicking over to Hawk Moth. She retreated to her spot and concentrated. The constant undercurrent of _love_ and _admiration,_ that she now recognized as Chat's feelings, was nice but wasn't helping her figure anything out so she did her best to suppress it. After what felt like an eternity, her mind lit up. "OK! I've got it! We put these handcuffs on the akuma. This will let us restrain it and we can figure out where the object is so we can break it. Once we break it, we'll be free of these effects and can finish off Hawk Moth and Mayura! Rrrrgh… I wish we knew who the host is for the sentimonster! They're probably much easier to beat than Mayura. We've got to keep trying! Are you guys ready?"

Carapace was breathing heavy from his battle with the akuma. He sucked on his lower lip. "As ready as we'll ever be, Ladybug."

Rena Rouge whimpered.

Carapace looked over at Rena Rouge and frowned. "I think maybe we can just let her rest for a bit and I'll try to stay out of harm's way in the meantime. Even with one person resting for a bit, we're still evenly matched."

"It will have to do for now." Ladybug and Mister Bug cast their yo-yos to get to the sentimonster, who whirled and lunged after them. They were able to use the sentimonster's bulk to screen their approach from the akuma, and when they got close, they each put a handcuff on one of the akuma's wrists.

"Go finish up with Hawk Moth, Mister Bug! I've got this!" Ladybug grabbed the loose handcuffs and used them to attempt to hook the akuma onto the scaffolding of the Tower.

The akuma furiously tried to shake her off, firing off blasts indiscriminately. Ladybug struggled to hook the wrists of the akuma to the Tower before it was too late. Her earrings chirped.

* * *

Mister Bug landed in front of Hawk Moth. "I should have stopped you a long time ago. Luckily for me, it _is_ a long time ago, and I get a second chance!"

"I don't know who you are or what you have against me personally… but give me your Miraculous." Hawk Moth's mask did nothing to cover his sneer. "You used Lucky Charm… you will time out soon and I will be victorious!"

Mister Bug's earrings chirped. "It's OK, I've got all the time in the world." His voice was cool, but his nerves were on high alert.

Neither of them expected a rogue blast from the akuma to hit them. It was Hawk Moth who recovered first. "Well, well! Looks like we are at an impasse. Anything you do to me will be done to yourself! You wouldn't want to take yourself out, now, would you?"

"You'd be surprised, Hawk Moth." Mister Bug lunged at him and swiped wildly at his Miraculous.

Hawk Moth parried with the ball end of his cane, but when he connected with Mister Bug, he only succeeded in knocking the wind out of himself.

"We'll see who wants this more. I bet I do." Mister Bug wound up and punched Hawk Moth square in the face.

Mister Bug's nose started bleeding. Hawk Moth gasped.

Mister Bug smiled, but there was no mirth behind it. "Feels pretty good, actually. Come here, _coward_. What's the matter? Afraid of getting yourself hurt? You've always been so high-and-mighty, always sending others to do the jobs you couldn't stomach doing on your own. Sitting up there on your throne, minions and gofers and henchmen at your beck and call… you don't even know what you want anymore, do you? You just enjoy the power… enjoy telling people what to do… enjoy bossing them around. Well, it ends now!" His earrings chirped again. He took advantage of the gobsmacked look on Hawk Moth's face and flung his yo-yo out to tie up Hawk Moth's legs, yanking them out from underneath him.

"Stop! You'll only hurt yourself if you keep this up! You don't want to get hurt!" There was a desperate undercurrent to Hawk Moth's words.

Mister Bug could feel the fear and confusion emanating from Hawk Moth. "You've been hurting me for _years_." There was cold steel in Mister Bug's emerald eyes. "But I'm willing to take some punishment now for letting you do that to me for so long. I deserve it. And… I'm also saving myself from getting hurt five years ago, too. This is my second chance at a happy life, and I'm going to take it!"

"What are you talking about?" Hawk Moth asked, terrified eyes scanning the area for help.

"I don't care if you understand or not." Mister Bug punched Hawk Moth in the face again, then spat out a tooth. "_I don't need you._ You know who needed you? _Your son._ But your son was too blind to see who you really were. Where your priorities lay. You hurt him, and you'll just keep on hurting him if I let you leave here with that brooch today."

Hawk Moth's eyes blew wide.

"This is going to hurt you a lot more than it hurts me." Mister Bug reached over and plucked the Miraculous from Hawk Moth's costume. A flash of purple light later, and Gabriel Agreste lay dazed underneath the Tower platform, legs entangled in yo-yo string. The former Hawk Moth's kwami zipped into the purple jewel.

The sentimonster clobbered Mister Bug, sending him flying into the air. Gabriel buckled in pain and screamed.

"No!" Mayura yelled. She raised her arms, and the sentimonster disappeared in a puff of magic. She ran over to Gabriel and sat him up.

* * *

Ladybug had just succeeded in getting the akuma secured to the Tower when a wave of grief flooded her to the point where she couldn't stand up. She sank down to the ground. What had happened to cause that? Was it a side effect of the akuma blast? She looked over and saw Chat Noir standing in front of… Gabriel Agreste? _What?_ Chat's right hand was bubbling with black energy. Before she could register what was happening, Chat lunged forward toward Gabriel with his hand outstretched. Mayura thrust herself between them and was hit by Chat's attack. She screamed, and her transformation dropped, revealing… Mr. Agreste's assistant?

What was going _on_ here?

Rena Rouge and Carapace ran over and joined Ladybug. Rena's hand was over her mouth, and her eyes were glistening.

"I always knew he wasn't the greatest parent, but… a _supervillain?"_ Carapace's voice was quiet.

Ladybug opened and closed here mouth a few times before any sound would come out. "We still need to figure out how to get rid of the akuma. Let's handle that first. Rena, can you go help Chat out please? Keep him here and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

Rena nodded and went over to Chat, who was standing in front of Gabriel and Nathalie. Ladybug saw rage in his face and was grateful that there would never be any more akumas. Fighting Akumatized Chat would be a challenge she didn't want to face. Underneath the visible rage she felt confusion, pain… and a hint of love. _Chat._ Her heart reached out to her partner as she tried to give him as many good feelings as possible.

Carapace circled the akuma. "Ladybug, right here! Try its tail!" Ladybug walked over and examined the tail. It vaguely resembled Chat's tail: more like a long belt worn backwards than an actual tail. She gripped it and pulled, causing it to snap off. A dark butterfly emerged from the tail and immediately bolted toward Chat Noir. Ladybug threw her yo-yo and snatched it out of the air, purifying it.

The akuma dissolved in a cloud of black-and-purple bubbles. Ladybug briefly recognized the couple she had assisted the previous night on her way to see Adrien at his hideout. She dropped the dog leash she was holding and grabbed the handcuffs. She pulled and pulled, unable to separate them from the Tower scaffolding. She'd never used her Cure without throwing the Lucky Charm up in the air before, but today was a day for firsts. She yelled "Miraculous LADYBUG!" at the top of her lungs in a last-ditch effort to end this phase of the nightmare.

The handcuffs burst in her hands and black-and-red magical sprites swarmed Paris, setting right the damage that had been done by the battles with the sentimonster and the akuma. Ladybug's heart swelled as it usually did when she watched her Cure take effect. The feelings of love, admiration, grief, and heartache - _Chat's_ feelings that she was just getting used to experiencing - vanished. In their place was a nervous energy similar to how she felt on her birthday just before opening presents.

This was the last time they would face Hawk Moth. _Crap!_ Hawk Moth was defeated - Chat was probably going to hold her to her promise of sharing identities, but given his reaction to Hawk Moth, he probably wasn't terribly eager to do that. And poor Adrien! He was going to need some help, too. Hopefully they would both accept her assistance as Ladybug… but in any case, she could reach out to Adrien as Marinette. Maybe. It's what friends did, and she could be a good friend to Adrien and now that this was all over and they won she could be Adrien's friend! Maybe today wasn't a disaster after all.

Mister Bug leaped back onto the tower and collected his yo-yo, interrupting Ladybug's reverie.

She removed a peacock-shaped brooch from a dazed Nathalie and went over to him. "Ad- Mister Bug... um... I'm so sorry," she stammered.

"It's OK... I knew. I've known for a while," Mister Bug said, frowning. "Not that it makes this easier. I knew I was being sent back to stop my father and get his Miraculous. It's better than what happened in the future. This way, Paris will be spared some of the pain and destruction." _And I will be too,_ was the unspoken message.

She held out her hand. "I'll take the Butterfly Miraculous back to the Guardian. Well done and thank you."

Mister Bug didn't return the gesture. "Yeah… about that, Ladybug. I've got some bad news."

The nervous feeling in Ladybug's stomach grew until she thought that if she opened her mouth, actual butterflies would fly out.

Mister Bug rubbed the back of his neck and looked at the ground. "When the sentimonster hit me after I got the Miraculous, I flew pretty far. I don't know if I dropped it immediately, in the air, or when I landed. I'm sorry, Ladybug. I lost it."

Ladybug almost burst into tears on the spot. They had just fought the biggest battle of their lives and won - yet they were no closer to retrieving the Butterfly Miraculous than they were when the day started. At least Hawk Moth and Mayura - _her idol Gabriel Agreste and his assistant_, her brain helpfully inserted for her - were captured and would no longer be a threat. But in order for the threat to be truly over, _they needed that Miraculous_.

"Split up." She felt as if someone else were speaking and giving orders. "We need to find it. We can't rest until we do. Take a line from the Tower to where Mister Bug landed. Leave no stone unturned, no rooftop unaccounted for. We don't stop until we have it."

Rather than the action she expected, there was no movement. Chat Noir was still standing in front of Gabriel and Nathalie. The tension in his body made him resemble a coiled spring. Rena Rouge was next to him, with tears freely spilling from her eyes. Carapace shared an equally distressed look.

Ladybug's earrings chirped urgently. She swore under her breath. "Nevermind, we don't have time. We'll have to recharge and double back. Carapace, can you deliver these two to the police?"

"Yes, Ladybug." He gripped Gabriel and Nathalie each by an elbow. "Come with me, please. Don't try anything funny."

Gabriel and Nathalie stood up without protest and accompanied Carapace to the bridge, where Roger Raincomprix was waiting on the other side.

"Kitty? Let's meet back here in an hour. Can you do that, please?"

Chat Noir didn't respond. He only stood there, looking at the spot where Gabriel and Nathalie were.

"Kitty? _Crap_, I've gotta go. You do too, your ring is flashing. C'mon, Kitty."

"I'll get him." Mister Bug picked him up and launched himself away from the Tower, leaving Ladybug, two confused civilians, one captured Miraculous, and more questions than she was willing to count.


	11. Double Time

Mister Bug soared through the air, carrying Chat Noir bridal-style as he swung from rooftop to rooftop. Chat clung to him like a small child, arms around his neck and head nestled against his chest. "Hang in there, Chat… we're almost in a safe place."

"Detransform… identity…" Chat's voice was barely a whisper above the rush of wind surrounding them as they traveled.

Chat felt Mister Bug smile against the top of his head. "Come on, hasn't it always been your goal to let Ladybug know who you really are? Think of this as practice."

"You're going to detransform too…"

"I have an advantage, though… and you're going to discover what that is in -" an urgent chirp from his earrings "- less than a minute. Come on, almost there!"

Mister Bug swung down in front of a warehouse that Chat didn't recognize. He set Chat down, opened the door, then rushed in, beckoning Chat to follow. No sooner had they both entered the warehouse than Mister Bug shut the door and there was a final chirp from his earrings. Pink light surrounded him as his transformation collapsed. Tikki flew out of his earrings, smiled at Chat, then flew over to the cot and grabbed a cookie before laying down.

Chat's eyes grew wide. The young man who was Mister Bug was about two inches taller than him, with familiar green eyes, stylishly messy blond hair, slenderly built… he was wearing orange shoes, blue jeans, a black t-shirt, and a white overshirt. Honestly, to Chat he looked like if someone had put a picture of Adrien Agreste in one of those _How will you look in five years?_ apps, but it couldn't be… could it? "You… you look like…"

"It's OK, you can say it. I know who you are already, Adrien."

"..._Me._ Claws in." A flash of green light, and his transformation dropped. Plagg emerged from the Black Cat Miraculous and floated between the two Adriens, mouth agape, looking from one to the other as if he were seeing a ghost.

"Plagg, there's some Camembert in my mini-fridge, help yourself." The man gestured to a mini-fridge in the corner of the room, where Plagg flew off to before emerging with a wedge of his favorite cheese.

Adrien stepped to his older counterpart, reached out, and touched his chest. Ladybug had mentioned that Mister Bug had come from the future. But if Mister Bug were _Adrien_, then what happened to future Chat Noir? He had to be sure. He walked away and ran his hands through his hair, astonished. "This is all starting to make sense! Ladybug told me that you had come from the future to do something, maybe save her or something like that… are you… are you _future me?_ Oh my gosh! What… what do I even _call you_? Older Me? Older Adrien? _Oldrien?"_

"Future you, that's how I knew who you were… who I was… um, who I still am, actually. Ladybug was right, talking about time travel is hard."

Adrien smirked. "No need to get _tense_ about it." The words came out of his mouth before he had a chance to stop them.

His future self (Oldrien, and _wow_, that was going to be difficult to get used to) shot him a Look. "Hold on to that one for five years or so. Ladybug would love it."

The adrenaline of the battle was starting to wear off. Here he was, sitting in a warehouse. His greatest enemy was the man he had spent so long trying to impress. He had beat him up, heck, even tried to use Cataclysm on him just… a few minutes ago? It felt like ages ago that he was on the tower fighting his… Father.

He must have let his emotions slip through because he felt an arm around him, leading him to the cot, where he was guided into a sitting position. Oldrien handed him a bottle of water, which he took and gratefully drank. "Let's talk about it."

Adrien wet his lips and swallowed. "Did… did you _know_?"

Oldrien sat down cross-legged in front of him. "Yeah. I found out a few months back, about four-and-a-half years from now."

Adrien sputtered. "_Four-and-a-half years?!_ That's _insane!_ You're telling me that we fought akumas for _years_ before making any headway?"

Oldrien picked at the seam of his jeans. "Longer than that, actually… we kind of lost."

"_Lost?!_ What? _How_? How on earth does Hawk Moth beat us?" Adrien began bouncing on the cot, fighting the urge to stand up and pace. He figured it wasn't his house, so he shouldn't pace. But then again, it _was_ kind of his house since Oldrien was staying there and Oldrien was him. He grabbed a corner of the blanket and started twiddling it between his thumb and fingers in an attempt to focus.

"He akumatized Ladybug." Oldrien put his hand up. "Wait, let me finish - he akumatized Ladybug and then went on a rampage with her. We had to use the Guardian to help us craft a power-up to purify akumas. It took us about six months to beat her, and along the way we lost a lot of people. It turns out that Ladybug isn't just good at giving Miraculous out - she's also really good at _taking _them, too."

Oldrien took a deep breath. "Hawk Moth got cocky. He knew who a lot of the other Miraculous holders were from Ladybug stealing their Miraculous. He and Ladybug cornered me. He must have thought he was close to victory, because I don't know why he would have unmasked in front of us. Ladybug never knew who I was, and I didn't know who Ladybug was."

Oldrien rubbed the back of his neck. "Anyway… I had the same reaction you did, basically. I managed to trap Hawk Moth under some rubble and then power down Ladybug by getting her earrings, which just left her with the akumatized powers - the object was a ribbon in her hair. I was able to break the ribbon and Cataclysmed the butterfly. We - and Bunnyx - were the only ones left. We've been on the run ever since."

The word _Cataclysm_ jolted Adrien. The protective wall that he put around his emotions crumbled into dust as if it were Cataclysmed. He tried desperately to regain control, but the rush of feelings was too much to be contained. "Did you try to Cataclysm Father, too? Oh my gosh, I tried to Cataclysm Father. _Oh my gosh, I tried to kill Father! _And I _would have_, too… if Mayura - _Nathalie, oh my gosh, I Cataclysmed Nathalie, she's going to kill me_…" He gibbered and waved his arms wildly before Oldrien leaned forward and hugged him.

"I told you… I had the same reaction you did. It was as much as a shock to me as it was to you, I'm sure."

Wait, _what?_ Was Oldrien trying to tell him that he killed his Father in the future? No, wait, then there wouldn't be any reason to come back, because there would be no Hawk Moth. Something similar must have happened to him too. "So who got in between you when you… when you…?"

Oldrien released him and sat back down. "Funny you should ask. I felt the energy bubbling in my hand. I will swear up and down to you right now that I could even _taste_ the destruction. Those were the only two feelings I could process, though. Rage had blinded me and at that point, I didn't care if I killed him or not."

"So what happened? Did his Miraculous protect him like it did me when I got Cataclysmed?" Adrien leaned forward, elbows on his knees.

"He was still transformed when I tried. It didn't matter, though. I stopped short. I held my hand an inch from his chest and couldn't do it. The Cataclysm died right there."

_Holy crap_.

"Yeah, _holy crap_ is right. I asked Plagg about it later and he told me that he would _never_ let me become a murderer. _Especially_ of Father. You can ask him yourself too if you want. You're a good person with normal, human reactions to things. Don't blame yourself for what you almost did or what you wanted to do. What matters is what's in your _heart_. Plagg would have stopped you but I think even if he didn't, you would have stopped yourself."

Adrien swallowed hard as he fought back tears. So he wasn't a killer, after all. He'd ask Plagg about it later like Oldrien said, but right now talking about _anything_ else was preferable. "So Hawk Moth figured out who Ladybug was… is, then?"

Oldrien paused and scratched his cheek. After what felt like forever, he finally answered. "No, the akumatization was connected to her hair ribbons as part of the suit, not as, um… the ribbons she was wearing in her hair when she transformed. I guess it's OK to tell you that. Anyway, the psychic connection to Hawk Moth was lessened, so she escaped with her identity intact."

"But you found out because she de-transformed, right?"

"No, I kept my eyes closed. And before you get mad at me, remember that we did the same thing in Dark Owl's trap, in the sewers below the Tower on Heroes Day, and then again on… oh, wait, that hasn't happened yet. Nevermind."

Knowing that his Lady's identity was safe in the future was the second-best news he could have gotten. "But you know now, right? I mean… you're wearing her Miraculous. Unless you closed your eyes when she gave them to you, too. When do I get my ears pierced, by the way? And what happened to Plagg?" The questions flowed out of him like water from a broken tap.

"Plagg is in good hands - he's actually with Ladybug right now. Not _your_ Ladybug, Future Ladybug. I'm not telling you about your ears. Yes, we revealed ourselves to each other. Completely on accident, by the way. I'm not going to tell you how _that_ happened, either."

"Oh." Adrien tried to stay positive, but he could almost feel whatever happiness was on his face slide off. His Lady never wanted to know who he was. He had felt her pushing his feelings away during the battle, but he had thought it was just so she could focus. He fixed his gaze in his lap and fought back tears.

He felt a hand on his knee. "Hey, relax. She's happy it's me. Us. Whatever. Honestly, I'm surprised we're not talking more about Father… but then again, once the subject of Ladybug comes up you tend to forget about anything else. Still do, actually."

Adrien raised his head to see Oldrien smiling, clearly adoring the Ladybug he was thinking about. "I'm glad to hear Ladybug is still the same." Some people never changed. And hopefully, some people _could_ change. He had to ask. "Did Father get any better over the years? There was that one glimmer of hope after Gorizilla and Style Queen, but…" He trailed off. He had learned long ago to not get his hopes up or expect too much out of his father.

"Hey. Hey. That's behind you now… or at least, not in your future. I know Father wasn't exactly present in your life… at least, not in the way you _thought_ he was or needed him to be… but he had his reasons. What he thought were very good ones, too. At one point, he even thought being Hawk Moth was the best thing for you." Oldrien sat down on Adrien's right and put an arm around him. His voice was soft and confident. "He loved - no, _loves_ \- you, in his own way. After Mother disappeared, he started lashing out. He blamed himself for Mother being gone. He started punishing people - punishing the world, he put it - for taking such a beautiful creature from the Earth. He didn't want to hurt you too. He started hiding you away. If the world couldn't have Emilie, then they _definitely_ couldn't have her near-spitting image. You were his model because you were darn good at it… but also because it was his way of showing the world what they could never have."

"But how did Hawk Moth figure into it?"

"Remember cold, emotionless, distant Father? He had to keep his emotions in check all the time so he wouldn't lash out at you. Emotionally distant was better than getting screamed at, in his eyes. But he had to release his emotions somehow. When he became Hawk Moth, he channeled a bit of himself into his akumas. He lived through them and destroyed the world that had treated him and his family so unjustly. It worked for him because Ladybug always fixed whatever he had done. Getting your Miraculous was a nice side benefit for him, but I don't think his heart was really in it."

Adrien struggled to process what Oldrien had just said. Out of all the things he could have told him, the bit about why he became Hawk Moth was the most confusing. How on earth could becoming a supervillain be in Adrien's best interests? Especially since Adrien was one of the superheroes in question tasked with stopping him. Not that either of them knew that, of course. Father missed recitals, fashion shows, school projects, meals, movie nights, hugs… just generally _being a father_. And for what purpose? Sparing him unpleasant interactions? Sheltering him? There must be something more to this story. What reason could possibly be so important that he would just leave Adrien in the hands of a rigid schedule and isolated existence? He gave Oldrien the most menacing look he could muster. "I think there's more to this than you're letting on."

A smile. "You're right. This one, I'm keeping to myself. Nobody but me knows the whole truth. Not even Ladybug. Not even… my girlfriend." Adrien could see the corners of Oldrien's mouth twitch with mirth. He didn't bother asking if Oldrien was going to tell him who it was or not, because he was sure he already knew the answer he would get.

* * *

Neither of the Adriens noticed the kwamis slip from the cot to a corner of the warehouse.

"Hey, Sugarcube," Plagg started.

Tikki responded by rolling her eyes and tapping a hand to her mouth.

"You know this is going to end badly, right?"

Tikki put her hands on her hips and glared at Plagg.

"I mean, he's breaking all the rules right now! No interaction! At least he's not telling him about the future…_mostly_... but he wants to. Kid looks out for everyone else first, it's natural that he wants to make people feel better… even when it's himself. But to be frank, I'm more concerned about _you_ right now! What are you doing to yourself? You're stretching yourself too thin, Sugarcube, and I hate that I have to sit around and watch it."

* * *

Marinette knocked on the door of Master Fu's apartment and waited, holding her breath. When the door opened, she ran in.

Master Fu closed the door behind her. "Sit down, Marinette. I will make you some tea." He went into the kitchen.

"Master, you saw what happened, yes?" She knelt on the mat in the living room.

"I did, Marinette. It was all over the television news. Nadja Chamack is probably going to win an award for her coverage." He chuckled. "Congratulations on defeating Hawk Moth." He returned to the room with two steaming mugs of tea and handed one to Marinette. "Nooroo and Duusu will be happy to be returned to the Miracle Box with their friends."

Marinette choked on her tea and started coughing. Master Fu took the mug from her and clapped her on the back until the coughing subsided.

"Is everything alright, Marinette?"

"Yes, Master - thanks." She slumped. "Well, no, not really. It's actually a bit of a disaster."

"Tell me, Marinette."

She opened her purse and took out the Peacock Miraculous. "We weren't able to retrieve the Butterfly Miraculous. I'm _sorry_, Master, but Mister Bug took the Butterfly Miraculous from Hawk Moth and then he got hit by Mayura's sentimonster and I guess it was hard enough for him to drop it because he went flying and when he came back he didn't have the Miraculous and now it's lost and I need to go find it and this is a _total disaster_!"

"Drink your tea, Marinette."

Marinette leaned forward, eyes wide. "But Master, we don't have much time! We need to go get the Miraculous back!"

"_Drink your tea, Marinette._"

Marinette sat back and sipped at her tea in silence while Master Fu watched her carefully. When she finished her mug, Master Fu asked "Do you feel better?"

Marinette nodded and decided to wait and see what her Guardian had to say before speaking again.

"Let us start at the beginning. Do you know who Mister Bug is?"

"Yes… Adrien Agreste... from 2025. He told me that I sent him back here to stop me from being akumatized."

"I… see." Master Fu took another sip of tea. "And he has the Ladybug Miraculous with him?"

"Of course he does! I sent it with him, right? Why wouldn't he?"

Master Fu cleared his throat. "I have no idea what the circumstances behind you sending him back in time would be, of course. Did he tell you?"

Marinette related the story that Adrien had shared with her. When she was done, Master Fu closed his eyes and leaned back slightly.

"Do you trust him?"

"Yes, I do. He knew who I was as Ladybug as soon as he saw me. He even called me by my real name! I wanted to make sure it was him, and he was able to confirm it by telling me that I-"

He put his hand up to stop her. "I do not need to know the details, Marinette."

"Sorry, Master Fu."

"This is definitely an issue." He opened his eyes again. "Very few times in the history of the Miraculous has there been two copies of the Miraculous active at the same time. You are going to have to be very careful. I do not know what the side effects could be. How is Tikki feeling?"

"It's hard to say, Master. Ever since we started doing nightly duty at Chloe's, she's been asleep. She was even so exhausted the other day, she was talking to herself! I'm really worried. Having Mister Bug here isn't affecting her, is it?"

Master Fu hummed. "Again, it's hard to say. We may have to consider alternative options for one or both of you, though." He stood up and stretched. "You should go look for that Butterfly Miraculous. I'll get in touch with your partner. I imagine he was not excited to see who Hawk Moth was."

"That's an understatement. He tried to Cataclysm him! I'm almost glad Mayura stopped him from doing it… I don't know why he wanted to kill Gabriel Agreste like that. Do you have any ideas?"

"I will go talk with him. You should go now, Marinette." Master Fu walked to his door and opened it.

Marinette took the hint and left the apartment. Once she arrived downstairs, she ducked into the closest alley and opened her purse. Tikki was laying there with her eyes open. The cookie Marinette had given her as soon as she detransformed was gone.

"Sorry, Tikki… this is really important."

Tikki nodded and gave her a thumbs up.

Marinette called for her transformation, and Ladybug swung off back toward the Tower, eyes peeled for a hint of the Butterfly Miraculous along the way.

* * *

Oldrien uncrossed his legs and stood up from the cot, gesturing for Adrien to follow. "You need to get back to the house. The Gorilla is probably looking for you. Let him know you're safe. He knows how to keep the media at bay so you can relax. Have Chef cook you a meal, or maybe make you her specialty Cobb salad. Work through your feelings. _Let others help you._ You're going to need it. Don't worry about school; you're ahead of the class anyway and Ms. Bustier and Principal Damocles will give you a break." A reassuring smile, not the 'model smile' Adrien had practiced for so long.

Was this what having a big brother was like? Adrien didn't mind that feeling at all. "How do I get in touch with you?"

Oldrien led Adrien back to the door of the warehouse. "Listen… you shouldn't. I already broke a ton of time-travel rules by bringing you here and interacting with you as much as I did. Who knows what damage I've caused? But don't worry, I'll take responsibility for it. Your mental health right now is more important. If I can spare you… _me_… some of the grief… then that's great. But we _can't_ make this a habit. Go, hurry. People will wonder where you are." He ushered Adrien out the door.

Adrien turned back to scowl at his older self, but the door was already closed. Just before it clicked shut, he could have sworn that he saw a flash of pink light come from behind it.

"Time to transform?" Plagg floated up to him.

Alone again with his kwami and his thoughts. Chat Noir, Hero of Paris, probably would draw more attention than Adrien Agreste, Son of Hawk Moth. Adrien messed up his hair and hoped it would be a good enough disguise. "No thanks, Plagg. I'd rather walk."

After a couple of seconds, Plagg floated into Adrien's shirt. Adrien felt a rumble over his heart and realized that Plagg was _purring_, something he rarely did. He decided to give in to his kwami's efforts to soothe him, and began the long walk back to his house, past the Eiffel Tower where his life had changed forever.

A crowd had grown around the Tower. News of Hawk Moth's defeat must have traveled fast and people had flocked to the scene of the battle. He adjusted the collar of his shirt and slouched low to hide himself, trying to appear as small as possible. He walked fast, oblivious to the friends, strangers, classmates… all out to catch a memento of the defeat. If only they knew.

* * *

In the shadow of a large building, subtle hands picked the Butterfly Miraculous off of the ground and slowly turned it over. _So *this* is what gave Gabriel Agreste his powers! It's hard to believe that after all this time, Paris's Greatest Supervillain is finished. And by his own mistake, too! Hawk Moth's reign of terror has ended, and it's time for someone else to take over... and *I* will figure out how to use it much better than he ever did! Let them underestimate me... *I* will get what I want from right under their noses, and they won't ever suspect a thing…_

The Butterfly Miraculous was safely stowed away in an inconspicuous pocket.


	12. Aftershock

_**Le Monde: Special Edition**_

**PARIS MAYOR: 'HAWK MOTH IS ARRESTED'**

PARIS - The game of hide-and-seek may finally be over.

Gabriel Agreste, 44, suspected of being the supervillain known to Parisians and the world by the alias "Hawk Moth", is in police custody.

"The bottom line: Hawk Moth is arrested," said Paris Mayor André Bourgeois in an emotional news conference Saturday often marked by applause at the Paris City Hall.

Hawk Moth is believed to be responsible for unleashing a spree of supernatural creatures that tormented the city for two years and left countless people emotionally traumatized. After initially introducing himself at the Eiffel Tower and again reappearing in public on Heroes Day, the villain fell silent, only communicating via his supernatural "akumas".

Bourgeois called the arrest of Agreste, a fashion mogul headquartered in the 21st arrondissement, a "very historic day" for the Paris Police Department and numerous others involved in the case, most notably the band of teenage superheroes known as the Miraculous Team and led by Ladybug and Chat Noir.

Agreste lived with his teenage son and small support staff. His wife, Emilie, disappeared under unknown circumstances over two years ago. Police are investigating any potential connection between Agreste and his wife's disappearance.

Agreste is being held at an undisclosed location, and it is not immediately clear whether he had an attorney. Due to the nature of the crimes, he will be appearing before a magistrate for a status hearing within 48 hours of his arrest.

The suspect likely will be charged early next week with several counts of terrorism in connection to the over one hundred attacks tied to Hawk Moth, officials said.

Also arrested was Agreste's personal assistant, Ms. Nathalie Sancoeur, 28, who allegedly was known as the supervillain Mayura. Her hearing will be held in the next week.

The arrest followed a devastating battle at the Eiffel Tower that saw Hawk Moth and Mayura, along with two supernatural creatures, defeated by the Miraculous Team. Two members of the Miraculous Team were able to remove the so-called magical jewelry that gave Agreste and Sancoeur the alleged ability to be Hawk Moth and Mayura, respectively.

If the suspects are convicted in the counts of terrorism, they could face a significant amount of time in prison, potentially the rest of their lives.

Attempts to contact members of the Agreste and Sancoeur families have yet been unsuccessful.

This story will be updated as we have more information.

* * *

Marinette lay in her bed, staring out her skylight at the brightening sky. She had spent hours the previous afternoon looking for the Butterfly Miraculous, both as Ladybug and as Marinette. At one point during the search, Tikki must have become exhausted because Marinette abruptly reverted to her civilian identity. Thankfully for her, she was rummaging around in shrubbery when it happened. The scratches on her arms from the thorns were a small price to pay for her identity.

There was a knock on her bedroom trapdoor. Marinette made sure that Tikki was covered up, then descended her loft ladder and cracked the door open. Her mother was on the other side.

"Honey… want to come downstairs for breakfast? I've made your favorite."

Marinette yawned and opened the door wide enough for her to sneak out, careful not to knock the door off of its hinges again. Her mother led her to the table, where there was a pile of crepes, Nutella, whipped cream, and fruit arrayed in plates and bowls.

"I figured we could cheat a little this morning since it's just us. Your father is downstairs in the bakery. Help yourself, dear." Her mother handed her a plate, then took a plate for herself and placed a crepe on it.

Marinette wasn't foolish. This was something that her mother usually did when she wanted to Talk. She pulled a crepe onto her plate and started loading fruit onto it. When she was done, she folded the crepe and waited for her mother to finish making her crepe.

"How are you doing?" her mother asked. A perfectly safe, innocuous question, but one loaded with a ton of hidden meaning. Her mother didn't know her secret second life as Ladybug and the roller coaster of emotions that she felt in that role yesterday… but she _did_ know that whatever Marinette thought of Gabriel Agreste the parent, she idolized Gabriel Agreste the fashion designer.

Never mind the complication that she had to think of Gabriel Agreste, _supervillain._ Or Adrien Agreste, _son of supervillain._ She bit down on the inside of her cheek to drive the thought away. Adrien was her _friend _first and foremost. He was a _gorgeous model_ second. There was a brief time when those two would have been reversed, but as Marinette had gotten to know him better, she saw more in him than just a set of green eyes she could get lost in, perfectly rumpled blond hair, and _very_ kissable face.

"...Marinette? Were you listening?"

"Sorry, Mom." Marinette sighed and took a bite of her breakfast.

"It's OK. I imagine there's a lot on your mind right now. Do you want to talk about it?"

_Talk_ about it? What was there to talk about? Her idol, disgraced. Her friend, suffering. Her battle with Hawk Moth. Enduring the trauma of feeling Chat Noir get ragdolled by a twenty-foot-tall sentimonster. The taunting by Mayura. Watching her best friend and her best friend's boyfriend suffer for each other so they could save Paris. On top of all that, there were Chat's feelings. Marinette had long understood that Chat genuinely loved Ladybug. But to feel _his_ feelings in _her _heart - that was a completely different story. Ladybug was a pro. Show up, get the job done, help people out, and leave. Never before had someone succeeded at getting inside her mask as deeply as Chat had done yesterday. He had touched her heart. And Marinette had _no idea_ how to deal with that.

What was worse, is that _Chat_ surely felt Ladybug's feelings as well. Ladybug: calm, cool, collected. The same Ladybug who knew that feelings for her partner could get them _both_ into trouble, so she pushed emotion away during battle. Did Chat feel that? He was probably going to _hate_ her for rejecting him like that. She should get in touch with him.

She should also get in touch with Adrien, too. So who was more important to her? Her unrequited crush, or her partner?

Marinette could sense her mother watching her closely.

"Mom… I honestly don't know what to feel right now. I know I need to be a good friend right now, but with my own feelings and emotions and disappointment in the way, I don't know if I _can_ be a good friend or even if he _wants_ me to be a good friend. What should I do?" She realized that what she had said could apply to both of her identities, and hurriedly took another bite of breakfast before her mouth betrayed anything else.

Her mother smiled and passed a bowl of whipped cream to Marinette. "Take more of this, it's always helped me." She chuckled. "Honey… it's natural. You're grieving right now. For a lot of reasons. You grieve for your friend. You grieve for yourself, too, because someone who was important to you..."

Grief. That was a thing… at least, it used to be a thing. Marinette was generally a strong, confident person. She'd watched butterflies fly near her on more than one occasion and successfully resist them. And the butterflies were gone! Maybe. She still had to locate the Butterfly Miraculous and get it back to Master Fu. Knowing that it was safe would take a load off her mind. A safe, recovered Butterfly Miraculous meant that Marinette wouldn't get akumatized. Because that was still a thing, right? Akumas were not an issue for the first time in who knows how long, and that joyous feeling lasted all of two minutes, tops.

"...so what I'm saying, Marinette, is your friend is going through a pretty big storm in his life right now. Be his umbrella."

Marinette dropped her fork and stared at her mother open-mouthed. _Umbrella._ Now _that_, she could do. And she was going to be the best darn umbrella that there ever was.

* * *

With no Gabriel Agreste at the mansion and no relatives nearby, there was no chance of Adrien staying at the place he knew as home. Due to his age, the court wanted him remanded to the care of the state until suitable accommodations could be found; thankfully, André Bourgeois was his godfather and had pulled enough strings to get him set up in Le Grand Paris for the foreseeable future.

He looked around at the things that defined his life so far: large, empty space. A grand piano. A large TV. A sophisticated computer system. Walls of DVDs. Video games. And so on. This was Adrien Agreste, perfect model, perfect face, perfect life. Or so Father would have led him to believe. He wasn't quite sure of that anymore. If someone had asked him now, he would have to say that he wasn't sure what was real and what was just for show.

Adrien was packing a suitcase. He could feel the watchful eyes of his bodyguard and Lieutenant Roger Raincomprix on his back. Why was the policeman watching him so closely? _Father_ was the criminal, not him. He hunched his shoulders and grabbed a handful of boxer shorts without looking.

_Father_ was the criminal.

Was _Adrien_ any better than him, though? Would _Adrien_ be locked up as a criminal too if Chat Noir had succeeded in Cataclysming Father?

He shook his head to ward off the negative thoughts. Oldrien had told him that he wouldn't have done it. At the very least, Plagg wouldn't have let him. He looked down at the faint bulge in his overshirt.

"Excuse me?" He turned to the two men watching him. "I need to make a quick personal phone call and would like some privacy. Can you give me five minutes, please?"

"Yes, but make it fast. We can't afford to be guarding you more than absolutely necessary." The policeman's voice was firm, and Adrien thought he saw his bodyguard look at Roger and frown.

The men left the room.

"Plagg? Come on out, we only have a few minutes."

The kwami floated out of Adrien's shirt and stretched. "Oh, man, I thought they'd _never_ leave! Can we get some dinner yet?"

"Plagg, it's not even lunchtime! You'll have to wait until we get to the hotel. Sorry, buddy, I've packed all your cheese already."

"I'm going to starve!"

"You are not going to starve, Plagg. You've gone longer than this without food before. Now listen, this is serious! Can you help me with something?"

"Name it, Adrien."

"Oldrien… uh… me from the future… told me that you would have stopped me from Cataclysming Father if Nathalie hadn't gotten in the way. Apparently you stopped him from doing it a few years from now."

The expression on Plagg's face changed from his normal teasing smirk to… tenderness? It was hard to tell since it was so rare. "Adrien, I absolutely would not have let you do anything to your Father that you would regret. You can count on it."

Adrien blinked back a sudden onrush of tears. He was used to other people preventing him from doing things "for his own good", but this was one of the few times where he was able to be grateful for it.

"Listen, kid… Just because you're a superhero doesn't mean you're not a person first. People have strange emotions that I don't always understand or want to understand. But I can tell you that you wouldn't have been the first Chat Noir to try to use their Cataclysm against a person. You probably won't be the last, either. But I know you well enough to know what kind of person you are, and I won't let you live with something you'll regret."

A knock came from the door. "Mr. Agreste? Let's get moving!"

Adrien reached down and scratched Plagg behind the ear. "We can talk more about this later. Thanks, buddy. I appreciate it."

"You're welcome, Adrien." Plagg flew back underneath his shirt and started purring.

* * *

"Thanks for watching the girls, Nora, we'll be right back!"

Nino watched as Alya closed the door. "You ready, babe?" He reached out and took her hand, leading her downstairs and outside.

"Yeah." Alya had dropped the cheery exterior that she was wearing around her sisters. A borderline neutral expression took over. Nino knew better, though: she was worried. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "How's your lip?"

"Babe, I told you, I'm _fine_. Ladybug fixed it, just like she always does. See?" He smiled the most dazzling smile he could summon. Which, seeing his girlfriend in so much distress over the past few days, wasn't as bright as he wanted it to be. Alya's loss of self-confidence ever since Vertigo was starting to take its toll on him as well.

"Can we sit down here and talk?" Alya gestured to a nearby park bench.

"Sure, babe. Anything you want. How long did you tell Nora we'd be gone for?"

"Just a quick trip around the corner for a lunch date, so maybe forty-five minutes, tops?" She sat down on the bench and pulled him down next to her. She put her hands in her lap and started toying with the button on the bottom of her shirt. "Any word from Ladybug about the Butterfly?"

"Not yet. I assume you were out looking for it after I left with… Hawk Moth and Mayura." He shuddered. He was still having a hard time processing that his best friend's father and assistant were the people he had been recruited to fight against. He made a mental note to reach out to Adrien as soon as he could. Best friend or no, his girlfriend took priority right now, since she was at the fight and had seen it firsthand.

Alya nodded. "Yeah… I was out there for a while. Some of it was looking for the Miraculous, and some of it was just trying to... figure stuff out. I'm sorry I didn't answer your messages. I figured looking as myself would draw less suspicion than looking as Rena Rouge. Everybody knows me as the _Ladyblog_ girl, anyway, so it was kind of expected that I would be on the scene. I wanted to make sure to take advantage of the daylight while we still had it."

It made sense. Taking Hawk Moth and Mayura to the police wasn't just a drop-off-and-run situation like he expected it to be. Even though the battle had been broadcast, he still had to give a short statement before the police would dismiss him. He hadn't gotten back to his apartment until well after dark. Searching for the Butterfly Miraculous was completely out of the question. He had been so exhausted at that point that he had fallen asleep with his cap on.

He watched his girlfriend, looking for any sign of relief from the tension that she was so clearly feeling.

She had stopped fidgeting with her shirt and had moved to letting a caterpillar crawl on her outstretched finger. Her voice was small and timid. "Do you think Ladybug will need us again?"

"Babe, I don't know. I imagine there will be more searching and possibly a de-briefing, sooner rather than later. We'll have to be ready. As far as fighting supervillains… I hope the Butterfly Miraculous falls into good hands." He reached over and scratched her back.

Alya closed her eyes and sighed. "Me, too."

* * *

Marinette pulled out her phone and opened the messaging app. She had never really called Adrien directly before, and she had no idea if he was in the middle of anything, but she could at least show him her support.

**[Marinette] Hey… I'm not going to try to pretend to understand what you're going through right now. But I do want to tell you that you're my friend, and you're more than welcome to talk to me whenever you need to. I hope you're doing OK and if there's anything you need, please call me.**

She took a deep breath, fighting between the feeling of having done something while also feeling deep down that it wasn't enough. As Ladybug, she could generally swoop in, fix a problem, throw a magical object in the air, and everything was all better. This, though… this was much more complicated than an akuma. And while she wished that Ladybug could go over to Adrien's mansion and make it all better, she had a feeling that it wasn't going to be that easy.

And speaking of Ladybug… she still needed to get in touch with Chat. That wasn't going to be an easy conversation easier. Between his feelings for her and him trying to Cataclysm Gabriel, she had a feeling that even though she knew some of what he was feeling, there was a lot still buried.

Her phone buzzed.

**[Adrien]** **Hi! Thank you for reaching out. It's a nice surprise. But then again… Everyday Ladybug at work, right? :)**

Marinette squeaked and dropped her phone. She hastily picked it back up.

**[Adrien]** **I'm moving out of the mansion into Le Grand Paris for the time being. Want to come over? Honestly, I could use the support.**

She squeaked again. She looked around for Tikki, then climbed up the ladder to her loft, where Tikki was laying on a pillow with her eyes half-open. "Tikki! Adrien invited me over to visit him tonight!"

"That's great, Marinette!" Tikki's voice was still sleepy. "Is he at the mansion?"

"No, he's at the hotel. The mansion's empty, I imagine."

"Oh, of course. It makes sense that Adrien would be in the hotel if nobody was at the mansion. Go see him tonight, Marinette. I'm proud of you!"

**[Marinette] I'll be there after dinner. Be safe.**

**[Adrien] Thanks, you too.**

* * *

In a warehouse deep in the industrial section of Paris, 20-year-old Adrien Agreste overheard Tikki mumbling from her place on the cot and smiled. Maybe he wouldn't have to work so hard after all.


	13. The Shadow of Evil Past

_How do I activate this?_ Hands turned the brooch over delicately, examining it. Wire butterfly wings, expertly crafted, formed the setting for the glassy amethyst. There - almost imperceptible at the back of the setting - was a small pin. A quick unclasping of the pin and inserting it into a lapel, and the wire wings disappeared in a yellow flash of light.

When the flash of light faded, a small purple sprite appeared. It was about ten centimeters tall with small butterfly wings and a dark purple swirl on its forehead. When it spoke, it sounded like a six-year-old child. "Master…?"

"Hello. What is your name?"

"My name is Nooroo, Master."

"Nooroo… you were previously with Gabriel Agreste, is that right?"

"I am not supposed to name my previous masters to any other Miraculous holder. That can only be done by the master themselves or by the Guardian."

"So if somebody captures you, you will not name me?"

"That is correct. I recognize you from your encounters with my previous Master, but I will not be able to tell anyone your name."

A hum. "Tell me, Nooroo… what was your previous master trying to do with your Miraculous? Trying to end Ladybug, I'm sure."

"He wanted to get the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous. According to legend, whoever controls these two objects will have absolute power!"

"Interesting… I know both of their Miraculous very well. It's a shame that Gabriel could not close the deal and get them for himself. This power can be _mine_, you say? Well, then, Nooroo… let's get to work. How do I transform?"

* * *

"We interrupt this episode of _Fill My Shoes_ to bring you an update on Hawk Moth. Good evening, this is Nadja Chamack with TVI News. Police have converged on the office building housing the Gabriel Fashion headquarters, as there has been a report of a break-in. Although Gabriel Agreste, company chairman currently being held under suspicion of being Hawk Moth, has not utilized the offices since the disappearance of his wife Emilie Agreste, early word is that the office he kept at the headquarters was broken into and ransacked. As his personal assistant has also not been in the office for months, it is difficult to determine what exactly has been taken, if anything, from his office. We will be updating you as this story develops."

* * *

"_Nothing! _There was _absolutely nothing useful there!_ Dark wings, _fall!_"

Nooroo's new master brought their fists up to their temples and let out a muted roar of frustration and disappointment before slamming their fists to their thighs.

There was nothing useful to be found in Gabriel Agreste's office. Of course, that would be the logical conclusion to draw: if the man hadn't been there in two years, then of course there wouldn't be much. But maybe, in his excitement or in the thrill of acquiring new power, he had left something behind, some key clue that would have maybe unlocked more secrets of the Miraculous. Something that would have helped him accomplish his mission.

They tapped their finger to their chin and started pacing the darkened room. Gabriel Agreste spent the past two years as a recluse in his own house. His secrets must be there, in his _house_. His _empty_ house. Adrien had moved out. With no residents, there wouldn't be any support staff lingering about, either. Would it be worth it, this early in the game? Worth exposure? Worth… revealing themselves? Worth giving up the biggest prize? If they were to take full advantage of the treasure that they stumbled upon, then they would need to know _everything_ about it. Cribbing from the man who had worn the Butterfly for many years past would be the fastest shortcut.

They had to be _certain_, though, before proceeding. That meant asking the resident expert, who was conveniently floating a few feet away. "Nooroo… did Gabriel Agreste have any secrets in his mansion?"

"What do you mean, Master?"

"Any secrets about the Miraculous? He never left there, did he? How could he have found out about what the Miraculous could do? I assume this didn't come with a user's guide. Did he take notes? Where did he keep them? Were there any secret safes? A special folder on his computer?"

Nooroo floated silently, a slight frown on his lips. After a pause of about twenty seconds, he responded. "I can share some of the secrets of the Miraculous, most of which I have already told you earlier. The remainder are in a Grimoire, which is written in a code that I cannot read. My previous master had a copy of the Grimoire that he kept in a safe in his atelier. There was also a computer in his atelier that he would refer to."

"Then that is where we must go. Dark wings, _rise!_"

The rush of power that washed over them was honestly addicting. Heightened strength? Sure. Agility? Part of the package. They knew both of those things already. But the ability to _reach out_ and _feel_ other people… this was nothing short of _exquisite_. No matter what had been said about emotions and their ability to work with them in the past, this was on a level that they never would have _dreamed_. They would have to experiment with this further. If _transforming_ felt like this, then actually _using_ the powers was going to be a special treat. They smiled, fighting back a laugh, and leaped out the window.

* * *

A profound sadness filled the heart of the man known affectionately as "The Gorilla" as he made what he figured was his final walk through the Agreste mansion. He had served the Agreste family faithfully for the past ten years, right when Mrs. and Mr. Agreste's careers were really starting to take off. Adrien was only five back then, an impish sprite of a boy who bounced off of the walls of their tiny apartment like a rubber ball. He was one of the reasons why they had purchased such a large house to move into: Adrien would have all the space he needed to have friends over, run around without crashing into things… to just _be_.

After time, of course, the pitter-patter of feet around the house gave way to video games and other screen-based distractions as Mr. Agreste's fashion business took off and he was spending less and less time with his son. Mrs. Agreste's movie career took her out of the house for many hours of the day, and the Gorilla found himself increasingly in the role of nanny when the adult Agrestes were home but too busy to play video games or watch a movie with him. As Adrien got older and became the lead model of Gabriel Fashion, the man accompanied him to events and got to watch over him there. The playful boy was growing into a very serious young man. His father - and his mother - would be very proud of him.

The Gorilla peeked into Adrien's room and looked around at what was left. There were clothes strewn on the bed and on the couch - something Mr. Agreste never would have tolerated - but things were much, much different now. The Gorilla made sure the windows were closed and locked and turned to go down the stairs.

He stopped in the kitchen at the base of the stairs. The familiar smells still lingered in the air, even though the staff had been sent home earlier in the day. The cupboards were full, but the perishables had been emptied from the pantry and refrigerator. Even the normally mountainous pile of Camembert was gone. It was a shame, the Gorilla lamented: he loved sneaking a piece here and there because it reminded him of Adrien.

He left the kitchen and continued to the atelier. After Mrs. Agreste disappeared, things changed drastically. Adrien was mostly confined to his room, held prisoner by a rigid and unforgiving schedule. Mr. Agreste and his assistant, Ms. Sancoeur, spent more and more time in the atelier doing work. Bodyguards were very rarely welcome in the room, and even then, anything more than a quick glance into the room was unacceptable. This was Mr. Agreste's _sanctum sanctorum_, his personal retreat and temple of design. He rarely left it except to sleep.

There was a noise on the other side of the door. Perhaps Mr. Agreste had left his computer on and it was auto-playing a video. Heaven knows how many times the Gorilla's phone would randomly start playing the latest Katy Perry song at full volume. This wasn't music, though - this was voices. He pressed his ear to the door but as the atelier doors were thick oak, he couldn't make out the details of what was happening on the other side.

He pushed the door open quietly, security instincts kicking in full-force. The computer wasn't on, but there was a light from a phone illuminating part of the wall next to the giant portrait of Mrs. Agreste. A figure was silhouetted by the light, talking in a low voice.

"So you're saying that the safe was here, Nooroo? How can I get into it? Do you know the combination?"

It was a voice that was familiar to him, but not one that he could easily identify. Discretion was the better part of valor, he decided. Even though Mr. Agreste was no longer here, his name was still on the paychecks and therefore his belongings should still be protected. The Gorilla advanced quietly on his tiptoes in an effort to sneak up on the person who could only be an intruder.

He grunted and put his hand on the shorter person's shoulder. The person gasped and quickly spun around, shining the light from their phone into his face. He squinted and looked away. Pain exploded in him and he fell to his knees, retching, due to something hitting him directly in the groin. He blindly reached out to the person who struck him - definitely an intruder - and his fingers closed tightly around fabric.

There was bright flash of purple light and he felt the fabric slip through his fingers. The light from the phone had vanished, and the room was left in darkness. The sound of footsteps faded into the distance, and the Gorilla lay there crumpled on the floor of the atelier, wondering if he had failed at his job.

* * *

Well, _that_ didn't go as expected. The computer terminal was anchored to the ground, and they weren't able to get into the safe before they were interrupted. On top of all of that, they had barely escaped after the family bodyguard discovered them.

Next time they attempted transforming, they would have to be armed with more knowledge. Perhaps Nooroo could enlighten them as to how to make an akuma. Next time, though. They needed an alibi for tonight just to be on the safe side. Gabriel Agreste might have been obsessed with his powers to the point of creating akumas at every opportunity, but _they_ weren't Gabriel Agreste. _They_ knew about dual identities and the power that it held over other people. _They_ were a better person than Gabriel Agreste. Waiting for the right time and striking then was the way to go. More thoughtful, more _deliberate_ akumas was going to be the new normal.

Gabriel Agreste was going to be nothing more than a footnote in history when they were done with this.

...And maybe along the way, they would even settle the score with a "friend" or two.


	14. Check-in Time

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **This chapter takes place _during_ the events of Chapter 13.

* * *

Adrien had no sooner arrived at the hotel and gotten the key to his modest suite when Chloe burst in behind the doorman, who was helping Adrien carry his luggage.

"Adri-kins, I'm so sorry that this happened to you! You must be _devastated!_ But look on the bright side, you get to spend more time with _me!_ We can take the limo to school together and hang out together while we're here… oh, Adri-kins, it will be just like when we were kids!"

"Hey, listen, Chloe… I just got here and would like to get my stuff unpacked…"

"Oh, Adri-kins, but that's what the butler's for!" She jerked her head toward the doorman, who was carrying a suitcase into the room. "You're going to have all of the perks that Daddy gives me, or I'm going to have to fire some people!"

"I really don't want people to get fired, Chloe. And I don't want the perks, either. There's a reason I'm not staying in the penthouse area with you and Jagged Stone, even though there's a suite available. I just don't want something like that right now. I want to lay low and kind of stay out of the spotlight for a bit." Adrien walked over to the windows and drew the curtains shut. Word was going to get out sooner or later that he was staying there; he might as well do his best to make that 'later'. "Do you understand?"

"Stay… _out_ of the spotlight?"

"Yeah, you know… just kind of take some time and figure out who I really am. You can relate to that, can't you?"

"But I _know_ who you are, Adrien." She looked at him and smirked.

Adrien froze. Had he been too open the other night when Chat Noir was on Chloe Duty? He didn't think he had given anything away... but then again, Chloe knew Adrien better than any other person did. "Who am I then, Chloe?"

"You're my BFF!"

Adrien visibly relaxed and sat down on the couch. "I thought Sabrina was your BFF."

"We've moved beyond that, but don't tell her." Chloe looked in the mirror next to the door and started primping her hair.

"Oh. Well then." Adrien had no real interest in Chloe's love life, but he was glad to hear that Chloe might actually be getting a real friend.

The butler set down the last suitcase and left the suite, closing the door behind him. Adrien saw Chloe's eyes go to the door. Her shoulders slumped.

"OK, good, now that he's gone, I don't have to keep up the charade. Even though Hawk Moth isn't a threat anymore, Daddy's still concerned about me. I don't know _why_ though… there are no more akumas, so I shouldn't have to be watched 24/7."

Adrien's head swam with confusion. "That's a good thing, though, right? I mean, you get more freedom…" Everybody wanted freedom… right?

"That's true, but to do _what _exactly? Because Daddy and Ladybug made _such_ a big deal about it, not a lot of people exactly want to be near me right now. Heck, even _Ladybug_ didn't even trust me for that final battle! No! She had to go out and get a new tall, blond superhero to take my place! Ridiculous! I tell you… that battle would have been over a lot quicker than it was if I were there! At least she didn't give him Pollen, that would have been _terrible_. Oh, you probably don't know who Pollen is, she's my kwami, oh, you probably don't know what a kwami is…"

Adrien tuned Chloe out. He obviously knew full well what a kwami is and even knew who Pollen was, since he had given Chloe her Miraculous once. Discussing Miraculous and kwamis wasn't Adrien's top priority. Neither was discussing Mister Bug, for that matter. At least, not with Chloe. Adrien made a mental note to contact Ladybug later on so they could meet up. He saw Chloe looking at him sideways. Her mouth wasn't moving anymore. Oops.

"I'm sorry, Chloe, you were saying?"

The stern look on her face melted into a look of concern. "Look, Adrien… it's not like you to act like this. You've got a lot on your mind. Do you want to talk about it? I know that if I were in your shoes and found out that my father was a supervillain mastermind, I would be shocked. Not that Daddy's not capable of doing something like that - he totally is! I mean, not _evil_ or anything like that, but he was akumatized once or twice… and Mom was, too, and my butler, and Sabrina…"

Adrien turned his head away from Chloe and sighed. She meant well, of course. She just had a hard time talking about things that weren't herself. It's not that he didn't enjoy the company... it was just that talking about _anything_ else right now would be preferable.

"...Did you know?"

_Well._ He certainly wasn't expecting _that_ question. "Know what, Chloe?"

"Did you know that he was Hawk Moth? It's OK, you can tell me, I promise to not tell anyone. I also promise that there's nobody listening." She scooted toward him on the couch.

"Chloe… I _can't_ tell you. If I did or if I didn't, I'm sure there's some lawyer that's going to ask me that too, and how they take my answer means if I see the inside of a jail cell too. I'm sorry." He was very grateful for the public relations training that he had. He knew better than to say _anything_ without talking to a lawyer first. Sometimes he had joked that he couldn't even sneeze without an attorney present, but the time for jokes had long passed.

Chloe frowned. "No, of course you can't tell me. He didn't have anything in the house or anything like that?"

Adrien wagged his finger in her direction. "Chloe, I'm warning you - we can't talk about this and if you keep insisting about it, then I'm going to have to ask you to leave. Your father is doing me a huge favor by putting me up, and I appreciate that more than I can express, but I can't sit here and put myself at risk like this. I'm sorry, Chloe. You've been my friend for my entire life. I need you to still be my friend now. OK?" He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. "One second…" Adrien pulled out his phone and checked the notification.

**[Marinette] Downstairs. What suite are you in?**

**[Adrien] First floor, room 116. Come on up!**

"Hey, Chloe… I've got another friend coming over to check on me. You're welcome to stay, but you've got to be on your best behavior."

Chloe stood up and huffed. "Are you saying that I'm incapable of being sensitive in a conversation? _Really_, Adri-kins, how long have you known me?" She walked to the door in response to a knock, smiling over her shoulder.

* * *

"I am proud, I am confident. I am proud, I am confident. I am proud, I am confident." Marinette had long ago learned to ignore the strange looks she would get from people as they passed by her. She was walking to the hotel and chanting out loud along with her steps, hoping that they would provide some sort of motivation for her to actually _be_ strong instead of completely falling to pieces around Adrien.

_Proud._

_Confident._

_Proud._

_Confident._

"Be an umbrella for him in the storm," her mother had told her. Easy enough. He was just going through a rough time, right? I mean, _sure_, it wasn't the kind of rough time that she was used to talking people through, but she could _definitely _work with what she had been given.

_Proud._

_Confident._

_Radiant._

_Carefree…_

Marinette stopped and shook her head to clear it. Even though she _said _she was going to be his umbrella, that she was going as his friend _first_ and his potential love interest _second_, well… what was that saying about old habits dying hard? She was _not_ here to be a babbling crush. She was here to support her friend! Her radiant, carefree… no, stop it! She took her phone out of her purse and sent a message to Adrien. While she waited for his response, nervously looking around the hotel lobby, she wondered if it would be appropriate to take a rose from the centerpiece bouquet for him? No, that was probably too much.

Her phone vibrated and she almost dropped it. She noted Adrien's room number, took the stairs up to the first floor, and found room 116. _Deep breaths_. She could do this. This was just like supporting any of her friends, like Rose or Juleka. There were voices on the other side of the door. That was OK, right? Even if there were other people here, Marinette could still be Adrien's friend. She didn't _have_ to get him one-on-one, as nice as that would have been. She knocked on the door.

..._Chloe_ opened the door?

"_Dupain-Cheng? _What are _you_ doing here?" She signed and rolled her eyes. "I've got to go take care of something, Adri-kins. Daddy thinks that since there's no more Hawk Moth, I won't need that Queen Bee signal anymore. And seeing as how Ladybug doesn't think she needs Queen Bee anymore, I just might destroy it myself! Talk to you later!" She flounced past Marinette, brushing her out of the way, and headed to the elevator.

"Sorry about that, Marinette… please, come in."

"What was _that_ all about?"

'Oh, you know Chloe… she always has to be up in the air about something." He closed the door behind her. "Can I get you anything?"

"Oh! Um… no thanks. It's more of what can _I_ get _you_?"

Adrien chuckled, and the sound of his laughter made the butterflies in Marinette's stomach flutter. "Everyday Ladybug, see, what did I tell you? Please, sit down." He sat on the couch and gestured for her to do the same.

Her heart raced even faster, something she had never dreamed possible. _Umbrella in the storm, umbrella in the storm…_

"Hey, Adrien… I just wanted to see how you were doing with… everything." She waved her arms helplessly, not in the flailing-way that she usually did when something went wrong. She hoped. "I mean, you've had to move out of your house… um…" She took a deep breath. This wasn't going very well at all. "How about I just shut up and let you talk for a bit, if you want to?" She smiled and fiddled with the sleeve of her blazer. "Or we don't have to talk! We can, um… play a board game, or listen to music, or watch streams of Ultimate Mecha Strike III…"

"Marinette. Thanks, really. I appreciate you coming by."

Oh, no! Was he telling her to leave? Did she mess everything up already? She only just got here!

He continued. "You've always been such a good friend to me. You know, Marinette, I can't believe I never noticed you like this before. You've _always_ been there for me, and I was just too blind to see it! I've tried to pay you back the best I could for a while now, but… I've never really been able to. From the scarf, to the lucky charm bracelet, to helping me train over at your house, to bringing me homework and writing me that love poem… I've just been blind. I know why you had all of those photos of me up in your room. It's not just because you're into _fashion_, you're into _me_. And I'm into you, Marinette, more than I ever could have dreamed. Can I pay you back for that kiss you gave me at the park now?"

Marinette closed her eyes and smiled. Yes, _this_ is what she wanted, deep down. Even though she was here to be Adrien's umbrella, if this was the kind of distraction that he wanted, she wasn't going to say no! Her lips tingled as she remembered how his skin felt underneath them at the Heroes Day picnic.

"...Marinette?"

Marinette jumped and squawked. "Yeah?"

"I said we could watch some streaming videos. I think there was a competition last week and the matches from that should be online by now. It's not the same thing as playing the game with you... but to be fair, you'll probably kick my butt anyway. What do you say?"

She cursed her vivid over-imagination and pulled out her phone. "Apple salutely! I mean… _absolutely_."

Adrien laughed. That darn laugh. That darn stupid _melt-me-into-a-puddle-of-goo_ laugh. She wished she could hear it all the time. Maybe she could make it her ringtone. That wouldn't be _too_ weird, would it? But then again, every time someone called, she'd melt…

"Marinette? Are you feeling OK? We can do this another time, you know."

"Oh! Sorry, Adrien." She opened YouTube and found the playlist from the competition. She scooted closer to him on the couch and refused to notice if he did the same. She held her phone out, hit play, and settled in, head less than an inch from her shoulder.

* * *

Adrien felt the couch settle a bit on his left as Marinette moved closer so he could see the video. He wasn't used to having someone come over just to check on him. Nathalie would check and make sure he was ready for his next lesson. His photographers and directors would make sure he had the proper facial expression for the photo shoots he did. But nobody ever really checked to see how he was _feeling_, other than Plagg. And Plagg thought feelings were generally yucky, so conversations with him never lasted very long.

Even though they weren't having a _conversation_, Adrien felt comforted by Marinette's presence. Just… having someone _there _with a set of ears who was willing to use them to listen to him warmed his heart. With Marinette that close, he was able to catch a faint whiff of vanilla and sugar. He wondered if it was her shampoo or her perfume, but even though he was socially oblivious he knew that smelling other people was wrong… despite what Plagg urged him to do occasionally. He closed his eyes briefly as the vanilla-scented whatever worked magic on his nerves, soothing him some more.

When he opened his eyes again, he noticed that Marinette was still avidly regarding the screen. She seemed a bit tense, but he couldn't figure out why. Did vanilla not work on her as it did on him? He idly looked at how she was awkwardly sitting on the couch. Maybe that was the reason. He glanced around and didn't see any pillows he could offer her, so he shifted slightly to place his shoulder underneath her head.

It must have been the answer, because she immediately rested her head on his shoulder and let out a deep breath.

* * *

A knock on the door interrupted the two teenagers. They leaped away from each other on the couch as Mayor Bourgeois opened the door and he and Roger Raincomprix entered the room.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Adrien, but we have a problem. It looks like there has been a break-in at your mansion. Can you come with us and help identify if anything was taken, please?"

Adrien and Marinette looked at each other, stupefied. Each of them was thinking the same thing for the same reason, but neither knew it.

_This could be bad. I need to get in touch with my partner first thing tomorrow._

"I've gotta go," Adrien said with more than a twinge of regret in his voice.

"It's OK, I understand. Call me," Marinette answered, never more confident than in that moment that he would.

He nodded and left with Lieutenant Roger.

"Miss Dupain-Cheng…?" Mayor Bourgeois said, gesturing to the door.

"Of course… I'll be on my way home. Thanks for having me, Adrien!" Marinette walked out the door and into the hallway. _Maybe Ladybug should go investigate the break-in as well._

* * *

Ladybug returned to her bedroom and de-transformed. The break-in at the Agreste mansion was a lead that went nowhere, unfortunately. The bodyguard didn't get a good look at the intruder, and was only able to note a flash of purple light before the intruder fled.

Purple light. That meant that someone had found the Butterfly Miraculous, most likely. That person had also decided that Gabriel Agreste might have left information about Hawk Moth behind. Marinette had never asked Tikki about past Ladybugs, so she didn't know if Hawk Moth's kwami would have been forthcoming with any of Gabriel's habits.

Her stomach dropped. _Adrien._ If this person was looking for information, they might think of going to him next. Walls and mansions might not be able to talk, but people could. If Adrien was suspected of knowing anything, he could be in big trouble. Ladybug would have to talk to the team about Adrien Duty. Or maybe Ladybug could just do Adrien Duty herself… that would be nice. She thought back to her head resting on his shoulder - how she even did that without dying on the spot was beyond her - and savored the memory.

One thing was for certain: if the Butterfly Miraculous was in the hands of someone who was bent on avenging Hawk Moth, Ladybug's life wasn't going to get any easier.


	15. First Things First

Monday morning. Marinette laid in bed after her alarm went off, thinking back to the previous evening with Adrien. She had done it - mostly. She had gone over to Adrien's, been a friend to him, and apart from the daydream, hadn't been a complete disaster around him. She even managed to _rest her head on his shoulder oh my gosh Marinette what on earth were you thinking when you did *that*?_

The truth was… she wasn't thinking. She just _did it_ and Adrien _didn't seem to mind one bit._

Marinette could feel the equivalent of a siren building inside her mind. She had to tell someone about this like _right now_ or so help her she was going to _burst_. She quickly flopped over onto her stomach, buried her face in her pillow, and squealed as loudly as she could. She lifted her head up to catch her breath, and looked over at her still-sleeping kwami. Thankfully her outburst hadn't woken Tikki up.

It was a shame that someone had to break in to Adrien's house last night and ruin the moment. Not that Adrien was _there at the house_ when it was being broken into, mind you… she was _practically in his arms_ when that was going on. He was safe! She was keeping him safe! Just like an umbrella in the storm and they were on a couch watching videos and pretty much cuddled together and...

Marinette squealed into her pillow again.

She regretted having to use Ladybug last night. It was necessary, though, to be able to get firsthand information on the break-in. As far as Paris was concerned, Hawk Moth was done and the object that gave him his powers were confiscated. Marinette didn't want to give any impressions to the contrary, but the statement from the Gorilla proved otherwise. A mysterious person and a flash of purple light? Someone _had_ to have found the Butterfly Miraculous before she could.

She needed to meet with Master Fu soon - tomorrow, if at all possible - and figure out what to after that, she would be able to get some actual rest. Maybe Tikki would get a day off, and Marinette would have her friend and confidante back again.

Maybe.

She rolled out of bed and started getting ready for school.

* * *

The absence of a familiar mop of blond hair - and the gorgeous friend it was attached to - did nothing to make the time pass quicker in the morning. By the time Ms. Bustier had dismissed the class for lunch, Marinette was so full of nervous energy she could barely keep still.

"Hey guys, what are you doing for lunch?" Marinette crossed her fingers, hoping that Alya and Nino would be doing something together off-campus. She might not need a _lot_ of Ladybug luck right now, but she would take whatever she could get.

Her friends shared a look. Alya raised her eyebrow and responded. "We were... planning on going to my place for lunch?" A brief, but noticeable, pause. "Want to come along?"

Marinette got the distinct impression that she was interrupting something planned. She knew that regardless of whether she showed up in costume or not, she was going to be a third wheel. But Ladybug had important business to take care of, so Ladybug was going to have to make an appearance. "Oh, no, I'm sorry… I just was maybe planning on visiting Adrien or something. If you already have plans, then it's no big deal. I'll catch you after the break, OK?"

Alya gave Marinette a high-five. "Suit yourself, girl. You know I'm not going to stop you from going to see Adrien."

Nino touched the brim of his cap in salute. "Yeah, for sure. Say hi to my bro for me!"

Her friends took each other's hand and left the classroom.

She needed to give them time to get to Alya's place and settle in for lunch before showing up… and she realized she had just the way to do it.

* * *

Place des Vosges was close enough to the school that Marinette was able to walk there quickly. She reached into her purse and absentmindedly stroked Tikki's head. The kwami hummed and nestled herself deeper into Marinette's bag. Marinette went to reach around Tikki to dig out the piece of chalk she placed in there this morning, but stopped short: there was already a cat face chalked on the base of the statue.

So Chat wanted to meet. That made things easier and harder. She wanted to talk about the meeting with Fu tomorrow night. What did he want to talk about? His feelings? Trying to Cataclysm Gabriel Agreste? _Her_ feelings? She still didn't know what Chat had experienced from her emotions. She hoped it wasn't anything negative. It was nice that Ladybug knew how Chat felt about her, but she was _just now_ getting closer to Adrien outside of the mask, and Chat's _very genuine_ feelings threatened to complicate things more than they already were.

She couldn't romance Adrien as Marinette and Chat Noir as Ladybug, could she? While she had never really thought of Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Ladybug as two different people, her dual identities necessitated a very thick line that needed to be drawn between those aspects of her life. She had three people who straddled the line: Tikki, Master Fu, and Future Adrien. Would anybody else ever be able to cross it? Would she ever be able to fully share herself with the people she loved?

This wasn't being productive. Even though she wasn't wearing the spots just yet, she still had to have her Ladybug face on. Time was of the essence, and she had three more people that she needed to visit during her lunch break.

* * *

Alya and Nino were in Alya's room, studying for an exam that they had that afternoon. At least, that's what Alya had told her older sister. In reality, they were gearing up for a game of Super Penguino.

Just as they were about to start, a tap came from the window. Alya cursed quietly under her breath and patted Nino on the leg before going to investigate. She jumped back, then hurriedly opened the window, admitting Ladybug to the room.

"Hey guys, I hope I wasn't interrupting anything." Ladybug had a sly look on her face that suggested she knew _exactly_ what she was interrupting. "I'll be brief so you can get back to whatever it was you were doing. We're going to meet at the Guardian's, um, _headquarters_ tomorrow night at seven. You'll both have to be there so we can discuss what to do about the Butterfly Miraculous. We may also be called upon to testify against Hawk Moth and we'll need to be ready for that as well. But the first priority is the Butterfly. Sound good?"

Nino raised his hand. "Is the new Ladybug guy going to be there too?"

"I need to let him know. I expect him to be there since he was at the Tower when the Butterfly was lost. With the break-in at the Agreste mansion last night, we will have to be careful. If someone is curious about Gabriel Agreste's activities, then we might be next on their list. Keep a low profile."

Alya opened her mouth, paused, then shut it again quickly. She frowned and shook her head.

"I've gotta get moving. Meet me outside your apartment building in your masks tomorrow at five minutes before seven, and I'll take you to the Guardian's. Bug out!"

Alya shut the window after Ladybug left. She walked over to Nino and sat on the bed next to him.

"Babe, are you OK?" It wasn't like Alya to act like this. Normally she was exuberant and full of life. Now, whenever superheroes - especially Ladybug - were brought up, she would quickly retreat into her shell. There was something going on that Alya wasn't opening up about, but Nino Lahiffe wasn't the right person to draw it out of her. He was more chill and laid-back and let people do what they think is best. When Alya was ready, she would talk. In the meantime, she just shook her head.

"You… um… you should go. I'm going to take a quick rest before this afternoon." She looked at her boyfriend and smiled, but Nino could tell it was forced.

Should he insist on staying? Nino had been a sounding board for Alya for the past couple of days, but he knew what it was like to not have any emotional energy left to talk. "You sure? You need me to rub your back or anything? You know I've got these magic DJ hands." He mimed scratching a record.

Alya smiled. "Thanks, babe, but I've got this. I'll see you back at the school." She leaned over and kissed him.

Nino walked out of the room and closed the door softly behind him.

* * *

Marinette took the Metro to the industrial district, focused on the directions that Tikki had given her the week before to try to locate the warehouse where Future Adrien - Mister Bug - was staying. She had Tikki in her purse, but didn't want to transform into Ladybug lest she call too much attention to herself.

She arrived at what she believed was the warehouse and knocked on the door. There wasn't any noise inside. She looked around to see if anyone was looking and tried the handle. It didn't budge.

She opened her purse and whispered to the sleepy kwami nestled inside. "Tikki? Is this the right place?"

Tikki poked her head out of the bag. "Yes, Marinette. This is the right place. But he's not here, sorry."

Marinette stomped her foot in frustration. Where could he have _gone_? That said, where did he even have to _go_? She pulled out her phone to note the address and realized that there was not a lot of time left to get back to the school. She looked down at Tikki and grumbled. Transforming into Ladybug again was _not_ something she wanted to do, especially since it was just to fix her stupid lack of planning. But Ms. Bustier had promised to stick her in detention if she were late for class again… and a Marinette who was in detention meant a Ladybug who wasn't out saving Paris. _Crap. _She ducked around the corner of the building, called for her transformation, and swung home.

* * *

Marinette stuffed the last bite of her lunch - a single pastry - into her mouth as she entered the classroom for the afternoon session. She nearly choked on it when she saw Alya and Lila standing next to her desk talking.

Lila was still trying to get into Alya's good graces, apparently. When was she going to realize that Alya didn't want anything to do with her? Not that Alya needed anyone to stand up for her, but Marinette was ready to knock Lila out if necessary - just say the word! Violence never solved problems, but a pinch here and there to save her girlfriend from that pestilence of a person, well… no jury in the world would convict her, right?

Alya was saying something. It was time to just listen and hear what sick burns would be spilling forth.

"...so thanks again for babysitting for me tomorrow night, Lila. I'll be sure to make it up to you. Maybe some more social media lessons?"

_What._

"Oh, that would be fantastic! I'll be there at 6:45, just like you asked. Is Chris going to be there too?"

"Yes, of course he will, he won't miss out on an opportunity to see his Auntie Lila."

_Double what._

Marinette grabbed Alya's arm and yanked her down to the chair. "Excuse me, can we talk for a second? Just the two of us, please." She tried her best to fire lasers from her eyes at Lila, but sadly that didn't happen.

Lila smiled at Alya. "No problem! We were just finishing up, anyway. See you later, Alya!"

"Marinette Dupain-_Cheng_, what was _that_ all about?" She folded her arms, a look of frustration and anger on her face.

"I still can't believe you're friends with _Lila_! Why can't you ask me to babysit?"

"Because the last few times I've asked you to babysit, you haven't been available! And every time you babysit Manon, you find a way to run off with Adrien somehow and I wind up coming over to bail you out! Girl, I have had a _day_ and I could use a little more support from you!"

Marinette's heart sank. Of course she should be a better friend to Alya. More than anyone else, except for Nino, she knew exactly what Alya had been through, even though Alya didn't tell her directly. She still needed to find a way to reach out to her as Ladybug and support her. Maybe. Even though Hawk Moth was finished, Ladybug's new job as a post-stress counselor seemed to be just beginning. She reached out and put her hand on Alya's arm in an effort to apologize.

Alya quickly jerked away, but smiled at Marinette. "Sorry… reflex. We're good."

The expression beyond the smile on Alya's face told Marinette otherwise.

* * *

Marinette pulled out her phone to set it on Do Not Disturb, and noticed an alert from her Ladyblog app. News about the Butterfly Miraculous? She had to check. According to the story on the Ladyblog, there was a "Mysterious Lord Bug" sighting over Marinette's lunch break. Maybe he was out and about looking for the Butterfly Miraculous. Had he heard about the break-in? It _was_ at his house… kind of. Maybe it was something that had happened in _his_ timeline too… no, that wouldn't work, Hawk Moth was still Gabriel Agreste in his future. _He_ didn't have the Butterfly and break in himself, did he? Surely, he would have been spotted.

She shook her head. Her Adrien, her dear, sweet, gorgeous Adrien would never break into his own house, no matter how old he was or what time he was from. That was a _dumb _idea and she should banish it from her mind forever. Adrien - Mister Bug - would want to know about the meeting tomorrow night, but Marinette couldn't get in touch with him. _Wait a minute_, yes, she perfectly could! She opened her purse and jostled her kwami awake.

"Tikki!" She hissed. "Tell him about the meeting tomorrow, please. Be in front of the school just before seven."

She heard a barely-lowered voice from in front of her and to her right. "Listen to that, Sabrina… Dupain-Cheng's so poor she can't even afford a phone with real Siri on it! What kind of knockoff app is _Tiki_, anyway? Ridiculous!"

* * *

A muted _thump_ on the ground behind Ladybug informed her of Chat Noir's arrival. "Hey, my Lady. What brings you out here this time of night?"

They had met at the Place des Vosges, next to the statue. The sun was setting and the night had all the makings of the perfect Paris evening so far. All they needed, Ladybug figured, was a street musician with an accordion following them around.

She reached out and flicked his bell. Banter with Chat came free and easy after so much time working together. Even if they didn't share _everything_ with each other, they were still good friends, and Ladybug was very fond of her partner. "I got your message, you dork. Let's go someplace where we can talk more privately."

"Why, my Lady, if you wanted to take me out on a date, I know this great place…" There was that smile again. The one where the corners of his mouth almost touch his ears, and his dazzling white teeth light up the night. If Ladybug didn't know that Chat was joking, well then…

...but she knew that he _wasn't_ joking.

"Chat… let's pick a rooftop." She pointed vaguely at a building. "How about that one?" And without waiting for a response, she flung her yo-yo in its direction and took off. When she landed, she immediately walked to the middle of the roof so people on the street couldn't see them. Emotional connection or not, she knew her partner well enough to know that he would follow her without question.

Sure enough, he landed and was at her side almost instantaneously.

She sat down cross-legged and gestured for him to sit next to him. He hurriedly stowed his baton and sat down. "Bug? What's the matter? You don't seem yourself tonight. Is everything OK?"

Ladybug took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. "Sorry, Kitty. The stuff with the Butterfly Miraculous has gotten me rattled, I guess. Especially since it's led to that break-in at the Agreste mansion… and who knows what else. I was going to signal you to meet tonight if you hadn't signaled me first."

"What did you want to talk about, Bug? I'm all ears." He swept his hair back, then used his fingers to wiggle both his human and costume ears.

Ladybug snorted out a laugh. "You signaled me first Chat, what was on your mind?"

Chat sat there silently, watching her. He clearly didn't want to go first either. After what seemed like an eternity, Ladybug relented and spoke. "I want to meet at Master Fu's tomorrow night at 7 to discuss the Butterfly Miraculous and how we should handle that."

"We should keep handling that like we always have been, right? Show up, kick akuma butt, and then go back home?"

"Well… yes and no, Kitty. I really think we should be more proactive searching for it this time around. The new person who has it seems more dangerous, somehow, than Hawk Moth was. I mean, as far as we can tell, Gabriel Agreste never broke into someone's house and assaulted people. You know?"

Chat winced. "So it's confirmed that the person who broke in last night has the Butterfly? That's not good, not good at all." He sighed. "I guess you have a point, my Lady. Meeting tomorrow night at the Guardian's. Where should we meet up beforehand?"

"Oh, I forgot, you've never been there. Plagg knows how to get there, he should be able to tell you. If he can't or won't, then meet me at -" she had to stop herself from saying _Alya's_ "- the school a few minutes before seven. I'll have Rena Rouge and Carapace with me and we can go together."

"Sounds like a plan, Bug. What else?"

"That's really it." She frowned and looked up at the sky. "Oh! Can you help think of strategies for searching for the Miraculous, too? We can talk about them tomorrow."

"Of course." He paused, and there was a look on his face like he wanted to say something. "Anything else?"

She steeled herself and looked him in the eye. "Chat… I wanted to talk to you about our last fight with Hawk Moth. I know it might be painful for hard for you to talk about… but I'm concerned about you. You… weren't yourself at the end of the fight, and I want to make sure you're OK and have someone you can trust to talk to. I'm not saying that it has to be me - you can talk to the Guardian, or another Miraculous holder, or whomever as long as your identity stays intact… but I think you should talk to somebody and I'm happy to be that person for you."

"My Lady… first of all, thank you. It means a lot to me that you want to be here for me like this." He picked up his belt tail and started fiddling with it. "I lost my cool after Hawk Moth was unmasked and went after him. I regret doing it. I spoke with, um… Mister Bug, you're calling him? Anyway, I spoke with him and he helped me out a lot. He helped me understand that things we do in the heat of the moment don't have to define who we are. I spoke with my kwami too, and he told me he wouldn't have let me Cataclysm… Mr. Agreste. If it weren't for their support, I don't think I would have gotten through the rest of that day."

He paused and frowned slightly before continuing. "You're right, I wasn't myself during that fight." He raised his head, and Ladybug could see a smile playing at the corner of his lips. "I had a bit of _you_ in me as a result of that hit we took from the akuma."

Ladybug felt her mouth fall open involuntarily. The response that she wanted to say, _now wait just a second, that wasn't my fault, and I don't know how to deal with this yet_, didn't make it past her throat.

Chat held his hands up. "Hang on, let me finish! We don't have to have this conversation now, because it's going to be a pretty deep one and I'm pretty sure you didn't think you were signing up for that when you signaled me tonight. You wanted to set up a meeting, and here comes Chat Noir with _feelings_. Don't worry about it, I totally understand! We've had a pretty busy week and it's not going to get any easier. I just… oh man, this is _not_ how I envisioned this conversation going. I always wanted to just confess to you and drop the mask and whisk you away and live happily ever after. I know that's not going to happen… but… aw man, I'm screwing this up. Here. Take this." He unzipped one of his pockets and pulled out a phone.

"Chat! You can't give me that!"

"I most certainly can, my Lady. Especially since after I explained to the mobile company that we needed an emergency way to get in touch with each other, they were more than happy to sign us both up for a free plan. Neither of our names are associated with these phones. They're completely anonymous. I even had them create anonymous email accounts for us, just in case. Being a superhero has its perks, even though we've never taken advantage of them. I wonder if being a superhero would get me a discount at my favorite bakery… probably not, though, I don't think the owner likes me very much anymore..."

Ladybug half-listened to Chat ramble on while scrolling through the phone's apps. Just as he had said, there was a messaging app with one contact: him. He had taken a goofy selfie for the contact photo, and she chuckled when she saw it. There was an email account on the phone. There was… a music app? What was that about? She opened it and saw three playlists: "Catnap", "Catfight", and "Kitty Section".

"You made _playlists_ for me?"

"Well, yeah. I have a good friend who's into music, and he's made me playlists. I… _also_ happen to like music, so I made some playlists for you to listen to. I don't know what you're into, so I just made a few different things. One to chill out, one that's a bit more uptempo if you go jogging or something like that, and one that's just kind of random stuff I like." He lowered his head and peeked at her from underneath his shaggy hair. "You… you don't mind, do you?"

"Chat… wow, I'm overwhelmed. Thank you. I don't think I ever would have thought to have done this."

"You're too good a person, my Lady. You never would take advantage of your station for benefits. I, on the other hand… well, let's just say I had a lot of free time today. I wanted to make it worthwhile."

"Chat… that's got to be the nicest thing somebody has done for me in a long time. _Thank you._" She leaned over and gave him a hug. "I'm not sure how I can repay you for this."

"It's all in a day's work, Bug. You just enjoy the music and make sure you keep the phone handy. That's all I can ask." He returned the hug. "Take care of yourself. I'll see you tomorrow night, OK?"

"But, Chat!"

"Tomorrow night, Bug. Chat out! Man, I really need a better phrase…" He stood up, extended his baton, and vaulted off into the distance.

Ladybug sat there, staring at her new phone, wondering what had just happened.

* * *

"Dark wings, _rise!_"

_Nooroo told me that I had to just capture a butterfly in my hands, focus on transmitting negative energy to it, and the magic would take care of the rest. Let's give that a try…_

They walked over to the jar where the butterfly had just finished emerging from its cocoon. Unscrewing the lid, they inverted the jar and violently shook it until the butterfly fell into their left hand. They placed their right hand over the butterfly and watched as dark bubbles imbued the butterfly with energy, turning it a blackish-purple. A thrill went down their spine, making them shiver.

_So this is how I can control other people… I'll just need a willing subject. I know that Hawk Moth hit me when I was experiencing strong negative emotions… hmm… how do I search for negative emotions? Or for someone who just *wants* to have the butterfly? Well… why not *me*? What's the worst that could happen?_

A chirp sounded from the brooch.

"Dark wings, _fall!_"

"What are you doing, Master?"

"A little experiment. Come to me, akuma!"

"Master, _no!_ You'll have to free the akuma yourself and then re-transform to call your magic back, and I have to recharge before you can do either of those. If you don't call the akuma back or if Ladybug doesn't purify it, then it will multiply and turn everybody into akumas."

The Butterfly Miraculous wielder sneered. "Then you should get busy, Nooroo." They gestured to a nearby bowl of cashews. The kwami sighed, floated over to the food, and began eating.

The butterfly floated close to their face. They reached out and grasped it, placing it on a piece of paper. Black-and-purple magic washed over them, leaving them with an entirely new form.

_Oh, this is *nice*... I suppose I can look like whatever - or whomever - I want. After all, there was that one akuma that looked exactly like Chat Noir. I can be someone feared, or I can be someone loved, or I can be someone… trusted. That will be perfect._

"Nooroo, are you ready?"

The kwami wiped his mouth. "Yes, Master."

"Excellent." They crumpled the piece of paper until the akuma floated out. A purple flash of light later, and the dark magic melted off of the butterfly, leaving it normal-looking again. It was quickly captured and re-sealed in the jar. Another flash of light, and they regarded the kwami floating in front of them.

"This changes _everything_, Nooroo. The next test will be controlling someone else… and I think I have just the person in mind, too! How about… _Marinette Dupain-Cheng?_"


	16. The Appointed Hour

Ladybug returned to her room and de-transformed. Tikki floated over to the bed and immediately fell asleep, without even stopping for a cookie or saying… well, _anything_, really. It was really time to give her kwami a break. Between Chloe Duty, which seemed _forever_ ago, the battles with the akumas and Hawk Moth, and now searching for the Butterfly Miraculous, Tikki hadn't gotten much rest.

Thankfully, the phone would provide her a means of communicating with Chat without having to transform. She unlocked the phone and programmed a new code to unlock it, then added facial recognition just to be sure. She wasn't sure if the phone would recognize her thumbprint or even if she'd be able to operate the phone when she was in costume, or her masked face for that matter, but that was a problem she would solve the next time her kwami was conscious and she had time.

She couldn't help opening the music app. The names of the playlists that Chat created were too funny. A chuckle escaped her as she opened the "Catnap" playlist. What the heck - it was close enough to bedtime and she could use any help she could get relaxing. She plugged the phone into a charger, hit Shuffle Play, and went to bed as soft, lilting piano music filled the room.

* * *

As much as Marinette enjoyed the phone and the playlists, she suspected it had potential to be more trouble than it was worth. Even though she had it on silent, she could still hear it occasionally vibrate from the bottom of her purse. After the fifth vibration, she excused herself to the restroom so she could see what was so urgent.

**[Chat Noir] [9:05 am] Hey Bug, what are you up to?**

**[Chat Noir] [9:15 am] I'm booorrrrrreeeddddddddddddddddddddd**

**[Chat Noir] [9:22 am] Spent so long chasing my tail this morning I had to take it in a notch**

**[Chat Noir] [9:22 am] Get it? Because it's a belt, and I… eh, nevermind**

**[Chat Noir] [9:24 am] Did you ever notice how quickly the target audience for fidget spinners lost interest in them? Ironic, no?**

**[Ladybug] [9:27 am] CHAT NOIR I AM IN SCHOOL AND IF YOU GET ME IN TROUBLE I AM GOING TO DROPKICK YOU FROM THE TOP OF THE EIFFEL TOWER**

**[Chat Noir] [9:28 am] ...sorry, my Lady. :( I'll see you tonight =^.^= **

* * *

Later that night, Alya was pacing the floor. "OK, girls, you be extra good tonight, OK? Get to bed on time and don't get into anything. If you're good tonight, I'll make sure you get a special treat tomorrow!" She jumped a bit at the brief, sharp knock on the apartment door. Alya opened it to find Lila standing in the hallway, backpack slung over her shoulder.

"Thanks again for coming, Lila. I really appreciate it. I shouldn't be too long, and Nora will be home before nine anyway so you aren't out too late on a school night."

"It's no problem at all!" She stepped into the apartment and playfully called "Ella? Etta? Where are my little girls?! Auntie Lila brought some new stories tonight!"

Alya smiled to herself. It was nice to have a babysitter that she could count on. Even though Lila didn't get along with _everybody_ in the class, she still seemed to be a pretty decent person at heart. Who could blame her for trying too hard to make friends? With her parents being ambassadors and everything, she probably moved around a lot. Something like that would take a toll on anyone. Alya had only ever moved _once_ and got really lucky with a friend group right away. If she could help Lila out, then so much the better.

Nino emerged from the stairwell, Chris in tow. Chris broke from Nino's grip and went charging down the hallway toward Lila. "Auntie Lila! Auntie Lila!"

"You ready, babe? Hey, Lila." Nino was as charming as usual. It was a shame she was going somewhere that she really, _really_ didn't want to go. Having Nino there would make it a lot easier. A whole heck of a lot easier. She could feel the anxiety rising from her stomach, making her chest tighten up and her palms sweaty.

She gave Lila _la bise_ and called "Be good for Lila! She's in charge until Nora gets here!" into the apartment. "Thanks again, Lila. We both appreciate it."

"My pleasure. Have fun, you too!" And with that, the door closed to the apartment, leaving Nino and Alya alone in the hallway.

"You OK, babe?" Nino took her hand and must have noticed how clammy it was.

She couldn't meet his eyes. "I'm not looking forward to this."

Nino played with the strings on her hoodie before pulling her into a hug. "Hey. _Hey._ We've had a rough week. I just want you to know that with or without the mask, you're still _my_ superhero. OK?" He gave her a quick kiss.

Alya sighed. "I know. And I appreciate it. I'd appreciate it more if I didn't have this sense of…"

"Doom?"

"Mind-numbing inadequacy is more like it. But yes, doom works too. I just get this feeling that something's going to happen, and when it does, I just hope it's not my fault or I don't get caught standing by."

"I'll be standing by next to you as much as I can, babe, you know that. We've got this… together."

"Thanks, Nino. I appreciate it. Let's get downstairs… I think the fresh air might do me some good."

* * *

Ladybug's yo-yo whirred out ahead of her as she swung from rooftop to rooftop on her way to Alya's building. It wasn't a long journey by any means, but with all of the pressure that everyone had been under, she hadn't taken much time to actually _enjoy_ being Ladybug. The rush of wind over her body and the momentary feel of weightlessness as each swing reached its apex was exhilarating… and a bit addicting, if she had to admit it.

She alighted in front of Alya's building, and Rena Rouge and Carapace emerged from a nearby alley. Ladybug smiled at them. "Glad to see you made it! We've got to jump over to your school to pick up Chat, then we're all going to head to the Guardian's place. Ready?"

Rena fidgeted a bit.

Carapace nodded. "We're ready, Ladybug. Meet you at the school."

Ladybug faltered. "You're not going to follow me there?"

"We _know_ our way there, obviously. We don't have to." Carapace reached out and took Rena Rouge by the hand.

Something wasn't right. Masks or not, she knew her friends well enough to recognize it. Nino was pretty chill the entire day in school, but Alya had been - _off_ \- all day. Her sunny personality was there, but it was like she was a second behind everyone else. Like all of her reactions were forced… like she had to make an effort to be herself rather than letting whatever she was feeling show. Ladybug needed to get to the bottom of this.

"Carapace, go on ahead. I'll walk with Rena Rouge."

Rena's eyes widened. "Really, Ladybug, you don't have to."

"No, I insist. Head on over, Carapace, we'll catch up."

Carapace nodded and leaped to the top of the nearest roof, then took off running toward the school.

"Ladybug - I'm _fine._ You -"

Ladybug cut her off. "You are _not_ fine, Rena Rouge. Please, tell me what's going on. How can I help?"

"It's just… it's been a long couple of weeks. You know that more than any of us, really. I shouldn't be adding to your burden. I'll get through it."

"Rena - _please_. Let me -"

"_I'm fine_. Come on, we're going to be late meeting Chat." With that, Rena Rouge leaped to the same building Carapace did, then disappeared over the roofline.

_Huh._ Ladybug added Alya to her mental list of people to keep tabs on. That was one of the benefits of choosing her friends to be Miraculous wielders: it was easy to keep tabs on them both in and out of costume. She swung up to the roof and took off toward the school.

* * *

Ladybug landed in front of the school, where Chat Noir, Rena Rouge, and Carapace were all waiting.

"Hey, everybody. Just waiting on one more person before we go."

"Queen Bee?" Chat offered.

"Lord Bug?" Carapace said, and Rena Rouge elbowed him. "Ow! What was _that_ for?"

Ladybug nodded. "Carapace has it right. We'll give him a few minutes. The Guardian's apartment is nearby - he's centrally located, so it really only takes about a minute to get there from anywhere in Paris."

Chat had picked up his tail and was idly twirling it, the look on his face daring Ladybug to say something.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head, which somehow only made Chat's goofy grin wider.

A nearby church bell signaled the top of the hour, and Mister Bug still wasn't there. "I'm sure he got my message to show up! We can't keep the Guardian waiting and I don't want to be out too late tonight. Plus, having a gathering of superheroes out here in the open is dangerous. I'm surprised we haven't attracted more attention." She un-holstered her yo-yo. "Let's go. I'll take Rena Rouge. Chat, you take Carapace. Follow me!" She scooped up Rena Rouge before anyone could protest and swung into the night.

* * *

Master Fu opened the door and admitted the four superheroes. Meeting here was dangerous, but necessary. He offered everyone a mug of tea, then the five of them sat down on the floor.

"Thank you, Ladybug, for getting everybody here. Thanks to your efforts, we are on the cusp of a new era of peace. With the Butterfly and Peacock Miraculous being lost, there was always the chance of other Miraculous needing to be activated. We - you - have recovered the Peacock and returned it to me. Now, we need to focus on getting the Butterfly back. Ladybug, I understand you have some information on that?"

"That's correct. This hasn't been publicized yet by the police, but there was a break-in at the Agreste mansion two nights ago. It is very likely that the intruder at the mansion is the new holder of the Butterfly Miraculous."

"_What?_" Rena Rouge exclaimed. "The new holder of the Butterfly Miraculous is going after the Agrestes? Why?"

Ladybug answered. "We can't say that for sure. It can be something as innocent as trying to find out more about Hawk Moth to something more sinister, like a personal vendetta. There's a lot we don't know."

"Like if there are going to be any more akumas." This interjection was from Chat Noir.

"Yes, exactly."

Carapace raised his hand. "Can the Butterfly do anything other than create akumas?"

Master Fu swiped to the page of the Grimoire that described the Butterfly Miraculous and took a sip of tea before replying. "Technically the powers of the Butterfly are to create _champions_ \- to use people's emotions and desires to create positive forces for good. Akumas are a twisted perversion of that. While the powers of the Butterfly are to seek out people who are willing to accept a transformation and then transform that person, Hawk Moth was generally… shall we say, _uncreative_ in how he used his powers. Which is strange, since Gabriel Agreste was known to be a fairly creative person. He showed some flashes of brilliance, like on Heroes Day, but generally he stuck to the same pattern. If he had taken what he had done on Heroes Day and developed it… well, let's say that I'm glad that never happened. We can only hope that this Miraculous holder has good intentions, or, barring that, does not learn from Gabriel Agreste's mistakes."

* * *

The conversation meandered along for a while, with each hero sharing their concerns and the Guardian answering them in turn. When everybody had spoken, the Guardian moved to dismiss the gathering. The plans they had going forward seemed like the plans they had coming in to the meeting: keep your head low and watch for any akumas. Keep track of patterns: people, places, even times that akumas showed up. Report anything odd to Ladybug, who would keep track of it. Ladybug would use her creativity, intuition, and ability to connect seemingly unrelated things to try and figure out the identity of the new Butterfly holder. Their only hope was that the new Butterfly holder didn't have malicious intentions.

The Guardian addressed the group. "Thank you for coming here, everybody. Please, forget this address. It takes a long time to find an apartment in Paris, and if I had to move suddenly, it would be a disaster." He winked at Ladybug.

The heroes and the Guardian stood up and stretched, and one-by-one they put their mugs next to the kitchen sink.

"Thank you for having us, Master," Ladybug offered, then yawned. "Sorry… it's later than I thought! What time is it?"

"A little after nine," Master Fu confirmed. "It will not be good if all of you are seen leaving here at the same time. Please stagger your departures and return to your places of residence immediately. Please, come use my side window; it opens onto an alley." He led the group to a room and opened the window. "Carapace, you go first."

Carapace looked back at Rena Rouge and opened his mouth to say something. His eyes flickered to Chat Noir and the Guardian and he realized that not everybody might know he and Rena were an item. _Best to keep secret identities secret._ He touched two fingers to the brim of his hood and leaped out the window.

Chat Noir followed after a wait of about two minutes. "See you around, Bug. Rena Rouge, always a pleasure." He dodged a good-natured swat from Rena, then sat on the windowsill and fell backwards like a scuba diver entering the water.

"Ladybug, please stay for a few minutes after Rena Rouge leaves so we can discuss something important. I won't keep you any longer than necessary, I promise."

Rena Rouge was bouncing on her feet. With Carapace already gone for a few minutes, it was unlikely that he was going to be waiting for her in-costume. He may have already gone to pick up Chris to get him home, too. When the Guardian indicated that she could leave, she flung herself out the window and dropped down to the alley.

* * *

Rena Rouge made her way toward her apartment through back alleys. Sneaky like a fox. Her building was only a few minutes away. She hustled. It wouldn't be fair to Nino to make him wait. Or to Lila, if she were still at the apartment. And Nora would give her a hard time about getting home late, even though Ella and Etta would already be in bed and Alya was a big girl now, thank you very much.

A garbage can clattered behind her. Rena Rouge spun around and cocked her ears. It was probably just a cat out looking for its dinner. She was too jumpy - just had to get around this last corner here and…

There was a flash of bright white light as she felt a large, heavy blow at the back of her head. She screamed as the force of the blow pitched her forward. There was another flash of light - yellow this time - as she felt her Miraculous get ripped from around her neck.

Alya whipped her hood over her head and curled up into a ball. Did she risk revealing her identity to get a glimpse of her attacker? No, she couldn't! Her family - Nino - her friends… she couldn't put them in danger… and Nino had already been hurt because of her. She couldn't screw this up any more. She lay still and heard footsteps running off into the distance. Her head swam from the shock of the attack and the sudden de-transformation of having her Miraculous removed.

Silence for what seemed like an eternity until more footsteps grew closer. Alya pulled herself tighter. Had the attacker come back?

"_Babe? Are you OK?_"

Nino. Her heart swelled as her stomach sank. She was glad that he was here, but if whoever attacked her was still around, she didn't want him to be targeted too. She felt his hands roll her over onto her back and reach around her as he scooped her up.

"What happened? I heard a thud and a scream, and I ran over as quickly as I could. Are you OK? Did you fall? Why are you bundled up like that? Why aren't you still… you know, wearing the mask? Babe?"

Rena shook her head, tears spilling from her eyes. She lowered the hood and moved her hoodie and hair out of the way. An angry red weal lined her neck.

Nino's mouth fell open. "..._Gone?_ Did the Guardian take it from you or something? _What happened?_"

"I don't know… someone or something hit me, then the Miraculous was gone. Nino… I screwed up. It's gone."

"Babe, you didn't screw up. Did you see anyone? Hear anything?" He scanned the alley for any sign of the perpetrator.

"All my fault…"

Darkness closed around the corners of Alya's vision, and she gave into the dizzy sleep that was calling her.


	17. A Butterfly Flaps Its Wings

Ladybug swung home, her conversation with Master Fu burning in her mind. He had paged through the Grimoire looking for any information on how time travel affected Miraculous, but the only information he had been able to find involved the Rabbit and the Snake Miraculous. Having two copies of a Miraculous at once was producing some interesting side effects: two copies of the Lucky Charm showing up each time it was cast, Mister Bug timing out even though he was an adult… and that was just what Ladybug had been able to observe. Who knew if there were other side effects that either of them was experiencing?

Not that Mister Bug was any help at all. Ladybug couldn't seem to get ahold of him. Random sightings in the city, missing the meeting tonight at Master Fu's… if his mission was to protect Marinette and keep her from getting akumatized, then he wasn't doing a very good job of watching over her. Unless the threat was over? But none of this had happened in his past, so he couldn't know for sure what was going on. This was new ground for both of them, and the only way they could make any progress was if they were sharing information. She'd be more mad at him if he wasn't Adrien Agreste… but she didn't think she could _ever_ be mad at Adrien. She had tried that once, and it didn't last long at all. He was too sweet, and his kind eyes and gorgeous smile and...

Ladybug narrowly missed crashing into a building again. She really had to start focusing more - even though she wouldn't get hurt, splatting into walls all the time was _not_ a good look for her.

She wondered if Mister Bug's version of Tikki was as exhausted as hers was. _Tikki._ Marinette missed having her confidante and friend available to her. No Tikki, less Alya, and more Lila meant that she didn't have many people to turn to. There was Nino, but he was with Alya most of the time. Adrien… well, she was there to support Adrien. It wouldn't be right for her to turn it around on him. It would probably take some time before he would be ready to listen to anything she had to say. That is, if she ever managed to get any words out correctly on the first try.

She arrived at her house and de-transformed. Tikki did her usual routine of floating over to her pillow to go to sleep. Marinette longed to have a real _conversation_ with her kwami again… about Ladybug, about Mister Bug, about Adrien, about the new Butterfly holder… just about _anything_, really. Tikki had been such a constant in her life since she got her Miraculous that Marinette started to worry about taking her for granted. Tikki was like a sister to her, and missing that part of her family was eating Marinette from the inside out. She needed family that she could talk about anything - Ladybug or no Ladybug - badly.

* * *

A purple-and-black butterfly squeezed its way through the window and into her room.

* * *

Marinette finished changing into her pajamas and was on her way to brush her teeth when she saw it. When Hawk Moth was still around, akumas were something to be feared. Even though Marinette had successfully driven away one akuma, she had been _right there_ when Ms. Bustier was hit and transformed.

Now, the evil magic was _invading her room._ Marinette had no idea if it was coincidence or if she was being targeted, but the intruder was there. The sender knew where the akuma was, and if she transformed into Ladybug in front of the akuma, then she might as well hold up a giant neon sign that says "HELLO COME AFTER ME AND MY FAMILY" for the whole world to see.

She had to resist.

_I must resist._

But how long would the akuma be there for? Eventually, Marinette would have to sleep. If she had a nightmare again - especially considering the last one she had where she was captured by the akuma - then she would be easy pickings. Marinette could not afford to be akumatized.

She could not afford to sleep.

She could only watch, and resist.

The akuma fluttered slowly, tantalizingly in front of her. Grabbing it would be the same as accepting it. Throwing something at it would accept it as well; Ms. Bustier's lip gloss proved that. She could not be afraid and defeat the akuma at the same time.

Why was there an akuma? Why did the person who found the Butterfly Miraculous have to be evil? Why did they have to go after Marinette? Once they went after Marinette, who would they go after next time? The people of the city, _her_ city, would not be able to relax, Hawk Moth would rise, and everything that she had worked toward would be all for naught.

She had failed. She had failed the Guardian. Failed Adrien. Failed all of the other Miraculous users. She had failed _Paris_, and quite possibly, _the entire world_. Her breath quickened and her heart raced.

The butterfly inched closer, sensing her dread and fear building. There was nobody around to help bolster her up, to help her know she was proud and confident. This was it. It was her and the akuma. Her and the akuma. Alone. Her and -

"_Adrien! Help me!"_

The scream burst forth from her mouth, unbidden. There was nobody else in her room.

Footsteps charging up from below. A large man burst into the room, shattering the door.

_Dad! NO!_

"Marinette, are you alr- _what the heck is that doing here?_"

Tom Dupain looked between the butterfly, his daughter, and his wife. He removed his apron and reached toward the butterfly.

"Tom, _what are you doing?_"

He said something Marinette couldn't hear and caught the butterfly in his apron. A bright energy signature illuminated his face.

* * *

Sabine screamed. "_TOM!"_

* * *

"It will be fine, honey. Ladybug will come fix it. She always does."

His apron closed around the butterfly, turning black, and he felt a door open in his mind. And through the door, a voice: "You're not Marinette Dupain-Cheng! It doesn't matter… bring her to me! Find Marinette Dupain-Cheng and bring her to me!" The voice was syrupy-sweet and yet menacing. It sounded as if two people were speaking at the same time through a bad telephone connection.

_Why would I want to do that?_ Tom spoke through the mental door, and he had no idea if he was speaking out loud as well or not. _She's done nothing wrong._

"She's wronged _me!_ I need to see that she's repaid for that!"

_You won't get me to do that._

"I _will_ get you to do that! _Everybody_ has a dark side in them! Give me _yours!"_

_I don't think I will._

"I can give you anything you want! Powers! Riches! Infamy! Name it!"

_I just want my daughter. You're a fool. You should choose your targets better next time, Hawk Moth... or whoever you're calling yourself._

"I'm not Hawk Moth! I'm _better_ than he ever was! You'll see! You'll all see!"

_I doubt that._

A scream of rage, and the door in his mind slammed shut.

* * *

The butterfly flew out of Tom's apron and toward the window.

It didn't make it.

Sabine picked up a broom and flattened the escaping akuma against the wall, then stomped it repeatedly on the floor.

"_DON'T - EVER - COME - NEAR - MY - FAMILY - AGAIN!"_ Each stomp was punctuated by a yell.

When she was done, she muttered something in Chinese that Marinette didn't understand.

"Sorry, I'll get a paper towel and some cleaner. Be right back."

* * *

A flash of purple light, followed by a stream of _very_ creative curse words, filled the room.

"Eat, Nooroo. That may have been my only butterfly, but that doesn't mean that it was my only weapon." They slid a bowl over to the purple sprite and started pacing. "Marinette has quite the protection squad around her. That's OK… we'll be able to get to her through other means."

Nooroo swallowed a mouthful of cashews. "What do you mean, Master?"

"She has… friends. Weaknesses. An overdeveloped sense of duty. Watch and learn, Nooroo."

Nooroo gulped.

"Are you ready? We've got work to do."

* * *

Trembling, Marinette watched her mom clean up the remains of the akuma off of her floor. Her dad had a protective arm around her and was holding her tight. That was not something she ever wanted to see again. Her dad had been akumatized before, but she wasn't there to watch it when it happened. The only positive out of the encounter was that whoever sent that akuma hopefully knew to stop messing with her family.

A knocking on the window to her balcony interrupted her thoughts. "Um… maybe it's Ladybug?" She raced up the ladder and peeked out of the window only to see Mister Bug staring back at her. She opened the window to admit him and they went down to the main level of her bedroom.

He wasn't wearing his normal costume. The domino mask was in place, and the hair was appropriately ruffled, but he had a red-and-black tracksuit on, zipped up to his neck, black racing gloves, and black sneakers with red laces. "Sorry I'm late! I came as soon as I heard about the akuma."

"Mom, Dad… this is, um, Mister Bug. He's been helping Ladybug out recently."

"Oh, yes, that's right!" Sabine gushed over him. "We saw you on the news broadcast. You're the one who defeated Hawk Moth. Congratulations on that." Confusion washed over her face. "But if you defeated Hawk Moth, why was there an akuma here just now?"

Mister Bug looked at Marinette before answering. "We're still trying to figure that out. Ladybug sent me here to get more information about what happened, and hopefully we can get to the bottom of this quickly." He noted the condition the door was in and whistled under his breath. "Looks like there was some fight here. Can you fill me on on what happened, please?"

Tom briefly explained his experience with being possessed by the akuma. Strangely enough, it wasn't with the over-exaggeration and the bombast that Marinette would have expected from him. Marinette's dad usually saw himself as a big, larger-than-life hero; his behavior while telling the story showed that he definitely was rattled by the experience, no matter which side came out victorious.

"I… see." Mister Bug hummed. "Marinette, did you notice anything unusual? How did the butterfly get in?"

"I don't know how it got here. I was getting ready for bed and all of a sudden it was in my room! I just sat down and did my best to stay positive so it wouldn't overtake me."

Her mother spoke up. "Why did you yell out for Adrien, then?"

A grin pulled at the sides of Mister Bug's mouth. "You called Adrien's name?"

Marinette stammered out a reply. "W-w-well, I was worried about him! With the break-ins and everything, maybe there was a butterfly at his place, too! If Hawk Moth is out there again, then… well…" She flailed her arms in Mister Bug's direction. "_You_ know!"

"He knows what, honey?" Her mom was too curious sometimes.

"He knows how concerned I am about Adrien! And how much I, um…" her voice dropped. She couldn't believe she was saying this in front of him, even though it wasn't the Adrien who was directly affected by this. "How much I like him." She could feel her face flush. She had almost been possessed by an akuma tonight, and now she had to _die of embarrassment_, too? This was a disaster!

Her parents chuckled. So did Mister Bug, the jerk. She could punch him right now and because he was transformed he wouldn't even feel it. She would feel a ton better, though.

"I'll show you out, Mister Bug." Marinette didn't wait for an answer and started climbing the ladder to her loft.

"It was nice seeing you!" He followed her up the ladder and out onto the balcony.

Marinette rounded on him as soon as they reached the balcony. "Listen, I don't know _what_ you're doing here, _why_ you weren't at the meeting tonight, _why_ you were out and about earlier today and _being spotted_ doing so… just what are you trying to do here? And why are you _dressed _like this? I thought you were here to protect me and support me and get the Butterfly! _Nothing_ you did today was any of that! _Spill it!_"

Mister Bug fidgeted and looked at the ground. He started speaking, then stopped. He started again, then stopped again.

"_Well?_" Marinette felt her face redden again, but this time it wasn't from embarrassment. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"OK, you got me. You caught me red-handed." He showed Marinette his gloves. "Or black-handed, in this case. Anyway. I was out earlier getting this tracksuit, as a matter of fact. I can't be Mister Bug all the time, as you have probably figured out. This will let me move around somewhat unobserved while still maintaining my secret identity."

She jabbed her finger at his chest. "But why were you out as Mister Bug, then?"

"That's… complicated. It's pretty much for the same reason that you had to transform to get back to school on time after lunch. Just guessing here, but that was the reason, right?"

Marinette nodded. It made sense: she had used the Ladybug Express more than once in the past. Of course Adrien would do the same thing. "You're off the hook for that one. But why did you miss the meeting? We started talking about the effects of time travel on the Miraculous, and we really could have used your input."

"I had a prior engagement. I was trying to find out more about the Butterfly Miraculous myself. I heard there was a break-in at, um, my house, so I was able to sneak in there and do a bit of research."

"How did you get in and out of your own house without anybody noticing you? I would have thought the police would have that guarded like a fortress?"

"How did I ever sneak out when I was a teenager? I know that place like the back of my hand…" He chuckled and scratched the back of his neck. "At least, I _thought_ I did."

Marinette squinted at him. She could tell that he wasn't telling her the _whole_ truth right now. How hard should she interrogate him, and how much should she just let go? This was _Adrien_. Yes, this Adrien had Seen Some Stuff in the five years that had passed, but Adrien was honest to a fault. She couldn't imagine anything changing that.

He continued. "If you need me to keep a closer eye on you, just say the word. I can get another cot or something like that so you can stay with me at the warehouse."

Marinette froze. Something didn't seem right here. "Akumas are attacking my house directly and you want me to _leave_? What kind of _protection_ is that? You _know_ I can't do that! My parents were able to fight off _this_ akuma, but next time, they won't be so lucky. I have to stay. Honestly, Adrien, you surprise me. What happened to you being sent from the future to rescue me? You've helped me _once_. After that, you were MIA until the fight with Hawk Moth, then you got his Miraculous, thank you, by the way… but then you immediately lost it! And you can't even speak for yourself and say what you're doing to _fix _that? Honestly, Adrien, I think I might have been better off without you showing up. I'll take my chances doing it myself from here on out. _Goodbye._"

* * *

Marinette's mother was examining the ruined bedroom door when Marinette rejoined them. "You'll have to fix that again, Tom." She had a twinkle in her eye that belied the gravity of the situation they had just gone through.

"I can fix it, Mom." The mental exhaustion that Marinette was feeling crept into her voice.

"Marinette, what are you talking about? You're too busy, and the door is too heavy. Let your father do it; he's done it before."

"I can fix it. It was done as a result of an akuma, right?"

"Honey, what are you talking about? Yeah, we came up here because you screamed, and you screamed because of an akuma… so, I guess it was done as the result of an akuma… but… Marinette, I still don't understand what you could possibly be getting at."

Marinette took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "I'm sorry, I can't do this anymore." Her voice sounded alien to her own ears, hitching and trembling. This was definitely _not_ proud, confident Marinette.

"Can't do _what_? Please, Marinette, you're starting to worry us!"

"Mom? Dad? I love you so much, and I'm sorry that I'm doing this to you." She started pacing the floor and playing with her pigtails to keep her hands from shaking. Her perspective shifted; almost as if she were watching the scene from somewhere near her ceiling. "We need to talk."

"Yes, of course, we're here and we're listening."

"I need you. I thought I could do all of this alone, without anybody to talk to, but these past few weeks have really gotten me drained. I'm at the end of my rope right now, and I need someone strong on the other end to pull me up. Can you be those people for me?"

"Honey, yes. _Please,_ what's the matter?"

"OK." She took a deep breath and blew it out. She walked over to her desk and grabbed a tissue, which she used to dry the tears leaking from her eyes. This was the biggest decision she had ever made. One with eternal consequences. One that was going to change her life - and her family's life - forever. "It's just - just… I don't know if you're going to be mad at me or hate me or shut me in my room forever and never let me out ever again and I _love you_ so much and love _this city_ so much, I don't think I could bear it, and you could get hurt so badly, Dad, I just watched you _take an akuma for me_, don't you understand, you could have been _hurt or worse!_ We don't know what we're up against with this new person, if they're even a villain or not, and I don't think I could stand it if either of you got hurt or something happened that I couldn't stop or couldn't fix!"

Marinette's parents were watching her. They were used to her rambles and rants, of course, and were used to letting her burn herself out before getting to the point. A point which she had been avoiding for months now, although the reasons for her to do so were shrinking before her eyes. Nino and Alya had each other both inside and outside the mask, and look how strong they were together! Marinette's parents didn't have a Miraculous, but they _did_ just fight off an akuma by themselves. Tikki had told her how many times that she was Ladybug, with or without the mask? Her parents didn't need masks to understand heroics, either.

Marinette stopped pacing, facing away from her parents. She glanced up at her loft. It was now or never.

"Tikki, spots on."

There was a flash of pink light, and Ladybug turned her head ever so slightly until her parents appeared in her peripheral vision. She winced, waiting for a backlash. How had she never noticed how _big_ her father seemed before?

Her mother spoke first. "All this time?"

Ladybug nodded. She licked her lips and swallowed. "All this time." Her voice was nearly a whisper; it was all she could manage.

"Oh, _honey!_" Her mother raced toward her, arms outstretched. And before she knew it, she was doubly-crushed in the arms of both of her parents.

* * *

Mister Bug peered in through the skylight. So, Marinette had told her family that she was Ladybug. That was… unexpected. He could probably use it to his advantage, though.

One thing was for sure - he wasn't so confident in his ability to change the future anymore. He'd have to try harder.

He also had to find a way off of this balcony before transforming back. He vaulted off the balcony, grabbing hold of the windowsills on the way down to break his fall. He leaped from just above the bakery awning to the ground and took alleyways back to his hideout.


	18. Late at Night

Marinette lay in her bed. She had a box of tissues nearby, but she had shed so many tears that she wasn't sure she had any left in her.

The conversation with her parents went well. At least they weren't mad at her. _That_ honor went to Hawk Moth for sending akumas after people and causing their daughter to be put in harm's way. They recognized that there was definitely a need for Ladybug, especially since there was still a threat from the Butterfly Miraculous.

Overall, Marinette was just grateful that her parents didn't lock her in her room and throw away the key or ask her to give up her earrings. She had been generally safe and demonstrated that she was still mostly responsible since she became Ladybug. Her grades weren't slipping. She had a healthy social life. She managed, in fact, to do more stuff that most other people her age even without factoring the Miraculous in.

She could still be Ladybug. Her parents were walking a fine line between being proud of her and being mortally terrified for her, but she had proved her mettle time and time again.

She had faced her parents. She had even faced Hawk Moth. But the hardest conversation was yet to come. She pulled out the phone that Chat had given her. She knew that if she told him, she was opening herself up to constant badgering from her partner to spill her identity. Or worse - he would just "drop the mask and whisk her off" like he said he always wanted to do. Maybe she didn't have to tell him. Maybe she could let it go. Maybe this was all a bad dream.

_No_ \- she couldn't do that. First and foremost, he was her _partner_. And he was the only person who knew what she was going through. She owed it to him to let him know. It wasn't just a security risk, it was a matter of demonstrating trust in him. And besides, she still wasn't even sure she had made the right decision in telling her parents. Chat should have been the _first_ person she reached out to. Mentally kicking herself, she picked up the phone and opened the messaging app.

* * *

Adrien got out of the shower and toweled himself off. Even though tonight wasn't a night full of action for him, he still enjoyed a hot shower after being Chat Noir to help him mentally reset. His phone was vibrating furiously. He ran over and grabbed it, saving it from falling off the desk. He read the notifications as he walked over to the mini-fridge for a bottle of water.

**[Ladybug][10:15 PM]** **Chat**

**[Ladybug][10:17 PM] Chat**

**[Ladybug][10:18 PM] Chat please answer! are you there?**

**[Ladybug][10:20 PM] Chat i messed up i think**

**[Chat Noir][10:22 PM] Bug? What's the matter? Talk to me**

**[LB][10:22 PM] promise you won't be mad**

**[CN][10:23 PM] I could never be mad at you, Bug. Not for too long at least. What's up?**

**[LB][10:24 PM] ...so you know the whole secret identity thing?**

**[CN][10:24 PM] if I knew the whole secret identity thing, it wouldn't be a secret =^.^=**

**[LB][10:25 PM] be serious, Chat**

**[LB][10:27 PM] I kind of told my parents that I was Ladybug**

_Holy crap._ OK, she had to have had a good reason to do this. She was the one always insisting that secret identities had to remain secret. For her to tell her parents must have been a Big Thing. The nagging voice in the back of his head, the one that said _you should have known first, you had a right to be the first one to know_ needed to go away, though.

**[LB][10:30 PM] Chat? Please don't be mad at me i know i always told youa bout secret identities being secret and i spilled mine Nd i'm *so sorry* i was just at the end of my rope and didn't see a way out**

**[CN][10:31 PM] hey… it's ok. Deep breaths Bug. Want to tell me what happened?**

**[LB][10:31 PM] you can tell your parents if you want, i guess it's OK**

Adrien sighed. If only his Lady knew what she was asking him...

**[CN][10:32 PM] no thanks. Tell me what happened at your place**

**[LB][10:33 PM] i got back from the meeting and there was an akuma in my room**

**[CN][10:33 PM] wait like an akuma akuma or a butterfly**

**[LB][10:33 PM] butterfly**

**[CN][10:34 PM] so you just snatched it up, right? Doing what ladybugs do**

**[LB][10:35 PM] i wasn't ladybug when that happened. My dad let himself get hit by the butterfly**

Adrien choked on a sip of water and had to fight to keep it from spraying everywhere.

**[CN][10:35 PM] WHAT**

**[LB][10:36 PM] he fought it off. He fought it off and i was so proud of him and then mom came and killed the butterfly, like literally killed it**

**[CN][10:36 PM] holy crap is everyone OK? Need me over there? Just say the word**

**[LB][10:38 PM] secret identity remember**

Adrien scowled at his phone. The voice that told him he _deserved to know first_ was a little more loud and insistent, mixed with a nagging feeling of failure that he was letting his Lady down. If she could get comfort from someone who wasn't her partner… well, then, what use was _he_?

**[LB][10:39 PM] Mister Bug showed up and talked to my family for a bit. Offered to let me stay with him until this got sorted out but I couldn't do that to my family**

**[CN][10:39 PM] that was nice that he was in the area**

And he meant it, too. Oldrien had helped Adrien immediately after the Tower battle; plus Oldrien was a Ladybug in all but name and was definitely the second-best person to be on the scene next to Ladybug herself… who was already there.

**[LB][10:39 PM] he kind of knows who i am too**

**[CN][10:40 PM] WHAT**

This was almost too much… _almost_. Oldrien knew who both Chat Noir _and_ Ladybug were? That was very dangerous information. Even Ladybug should realize that he was becoming more of a liability than an asset with that knowledge. That brought the number of people who knew who both Ladybug and Chat Noir were to two. The voice in the back of his head was definitely yelling full-volume now.

**[LB][10:40 PM] don't be mad! He always knew. Says I told him somewhere down the line. Please don't be mad for something i haven't even done yet, Chat**

Adrien's thoughts stopped so suddenly that he could hear the record scratch. If Mister Bug was Oldrien and Oldrien was Adrien and Ladybug told Oldrien her identity then at some point _Ladybug would tell Adrien her identity._ Did she know that he was Chat Noir when she told him? Did it even matter? He was vaguely aware of his heart racing, and it wasn't due to anger. It was _hope_. He would know who his Lady was, and all would be right with the world.

**[CN][10:42 PM] no, not mad. Sorry**

**[LB][10:42 PM] anyway he left and i'm kind of mad at him right now**

Oh crap, that's not good. She's _mad_ at Oldrien? Maybe she won't tell Adrien her identity after all. That is, assuming she knows he's Adrien… maybe she told Chat Noir and not Adrien, and he's only dealt with her as Future Chat Noir, not Oldrien Agreste.

**[CN][10:44 PM] do you know who he is too?**

**[LB][10:45 PM] mister bug? Yeah. he told me as soon as he met me**

Hmm… so this added a new wrinkle to things. If she knew Mister Bug was Oldrien, and she realized that the only person she would give her Miraculous to in the future would be _Chat Noir_, did she figure out that she was talking to Adrien right now? He had to tread lightly and not give _anything_ away, just in case.

That voice in his head was just going to have to learn how to shut up and _deal_. He put his pajamas on and climbed into bed.

**[CN][10:47 PM] ok. No worries. You sure you don't need me to come over? You know I'd do anything for you, right? =^.^=**

**[LB][10:48 PM] I know. you're sweet, Kitty. I'm fine. Thanks**

**[CN][10:49 PM] yw. ttyl Bug**

Adrien turned off the light and sleep claimed him shortly afterwards.

* * *

Marinette set her phone on her bed and stretched. Somehow she had gotten through that conversation without anybody getting mad at her. There must have been some of her Ladybug luck involved, she decided. As much as the final battle with the akuma was difficult for her, she wished she was able to know exactly what he was thinking again. He seemed fine with her having told her parents, but the suggestion that he tell his parents didn't seem to go over very well with him. She wondered why… maybe Chat's home life wasn't the best. She'd have to ask him one of these days.

Chat was still willing to be her partner, and obviously he still loved her, and that helped her feel that at least something was right with the world. Marinette started the Catnap playlist on her phone again. The soft piano music soothed her to sleep, and she dreamed of blond hair and green eyes.

* * *

Nino took Alya up to the apartment. Everybody was asleep or in their room, thankfully, so he was able to sneak her into her bedroom, then get a warm, damp cloth to put on her neck.

Alya took her glasses off and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Nino… what do I do? Who do I even get in touch with?"

"We've gotta get in touch with Ladybug. It's the only way."

She put her hands over her face and slowly rubbed. "I'm so embarrassed. I'm not even sure I can show my face in front of her, mask or no mask."

"Babe…"

"Don't _babe_ me! This is serious, Nino!" She made fists and started to drive them into her thighs.

Nino grabbed her hands and said nothing. He settled for rubbing circles on the back of Alya's hands with his thumbs.

Alya mumbled something that Nino couldn't quite hear.

"What was that, babe?"

"I said I wish I had never become a superhero."

* * *

"There you are! What _took_ you so long?"

Sabrina quailed. "Sorry, Chloé. The restaurant was closing so I had to wait for someone to help me."

"Well, it's about _time!_ I tell you, Sabrina, if we're going to keep being BFFs, you're going to have to learn how to be more assertive. This is _my_ hotel and your word is going to have to be as good as mine." She took the tray of bonbons from Sabrina and put it on the table. "So tell me again how you managed to come over tonight? Seeing as how _both_ of our Daddys wouldn't let me have visitors?"

"Oh, that was _easy!_ Since my dad is here guarding you-know-who down on the first floor, he figures the hotel is safe enough for me to visit. I kind of talked him into it so he could see my point of view. And here I am! I would have been here earlier, but your butler said you were sleeping and I didn't want to wake you up."

"Sabrina, that was so good, you amaze me. It's almost as if I've been giving you lessons in getting what you want from people."

"But you _are_ giving me lessons in getting what I want from people."

"And they're working _very_ well, aren't they? Come here, I'm cold."

Sabrina walked over to her and hugged Chloé tight. "Better?"

"Much better."

"You've always liked your Sabrina snuggles." She rubbed a circle on Chloé's back.

"And if you tell anyone else, I will call it utterly ridiculous. I've got a _reputation_ to maintain." Chloé smushed her face into the soft cashmere of Sabrina's sweater and hummed.

"Why don't you come maintain that reputation on the couch?"

"See, I _told_ you those lessons are working well. C'mon."


	19. Visiting Hours

Marinette woke up to the phone still playing the Catnap playlist. The music had the intended effect of lulling her back to sleep. Fighting the siren song of Satie's First Gymnopedie, she turned off the music and stretched. Starting your day with a victorious battle was always a good thing.

Her other phone - the one with the alarm - went off shortly afterwards. She silenced that in turn and opened up the news app. The lead item was that Adrien was being deposed in front of a magistrate today. She wished she could be there to be an umbrella for him, but it was during school hours and the magistrate would probably not take too kindly to Adrien being cuddled in the middle of testimony.

She sighed a radiant, carefree sigh and got out of bed, ready to face the day. Maybe she could talk her parents into letting her visit Adrien at the hotel after school. He would need his schoolwork, Marinette was sure. And a study session. And some cuddles afterward! Or maybe even during the study session. What _were_ they reading in French Literature, again?

She got dressed, gently placed Tikki in her purse, and went downstairs.

* * *

Marinette was determined to not make the same mistakes she had made two days ago when she saw Lila and Alya standing near her desk talking. Even though she was being obvious about not looking in their direction, she couldn't help but notice that Alya was wearing a maroon turtleneck instead of her usual ensemble. Marinette sat down in her chair and made every effort to show that she was not paying any attention to their conversation. She also pretended not to notice that Alya moved out of Marinette's range so she couldn't get yanked down into her chair again.

"...so can you come over again tonight? I'll show you how everything works and create an admin account for you."

"Are you sure, Alya? This is a pretty big thing, I don't think one night will be enough for me to learn everything."

"Girl, you know that I'll be there to help you out whenever you need it. The _Ladyblog_ is still my baby and everything. I just need to take a step back for a little while. You mentioned that you were a good friend of Ladybug and that she had saved you a few times, _and_ you're my prize pupil for social media! I can't think of a better person to hold down the fort. Tonight after dinner, my place. I'll bring the ice cream."

"You've got it, Alya. I'll be there at seven."

That was too much for Marinette to ignore. She choked on some saliva and started coughing. Her face turned beet red for the third time in twelve hours, and she felt someone clapping her on the back. She waved the person off - Kim? - and asked Ms. Bustier if she could be excused to get a drink of water.

Once she got out in the hallway, she took off running for the bathroom. She barely made it into a stall before a small panic attack set in. Alya was giving up the _Ladyblog_?! To _Lila Rossi?!_ This was unequivocally a _total disaster_. Alya had been given exclusive access to Ladybug and Chat Noir over the months. Alya kept notes. Alya had tons of speculation. Granted, a lot of what she published was intentionally misleading - even more so since she had become a superhero herself - but who was to say that she didn't have a secret cache of notes somewhere? How close could she be to discovering Ladybug's identity? Alya could be trusted - especially since she became Rena Rouge and unmasking Ladybug would be tantamount to unmasking herself - but Lila could not be trusted at all with sensitive information.

Maybe a more important question for her to ask was why Alya was giving up the _Ladyblog._ Out of all the red flags that Alya had waved today: the wardrobe change, being very friendly to Lila… the biggest red flag was that she was giving up the _Ladyblog_. She had literally _risked her life_ the second time Ladybug and Chat Noir fought Stoneheart to chase down the story. Alya needed a friend, and hopefully Marinette would be that friend. And if Marinette couldn't be that friend, then maybe Ladybug was up to the task.

She waited until her heart rate had settled before splashing some cold water on her face and patting it dry. She headed back to the classroom, head held high, determined to be everyday Ladybug - one way or the other - to her best friend.

* * *

The rest of the morning passed without incident. Alya even chuckled a bit at Marinette's comments about the History lesson, which was a good sign. Even though there was still something _off_ about Alya today, any sign that there was still the old Alya underneath whatever she had going on was a good one.

The students had mostly filed back from lunch break when Ms. Bustier strolled in and got everybody's attention. "Hello, class. I regret to inform you that school has been cancelled for this afternoon. Please proceed directly to your homes, and we will resume classes tomorrow morning. No homework. Thank you!" She turned and quickly left the classroom.

Well, _that_ was odd. Marinette resisted the temptation to ask if the day could get any weirder. She knew better. She also knew better than to question a gift like this on a very nice spring day. She would take the opportunity to be inspired on her balcony and then go over to Adrien's after dinner. But first, she had to check in on Alya. "Hey, Alya, want to get a coffee or something with this extra time?"

"Huh? Oh, girl, I'm sorry… I've gotta get ready for Lila's visit tonight. I want to make sure I'm at least handing her a somewhat-organized mess. Raincheck on that coffee, though, for sure!"

"I can't believe you're giving up the _Ladyblog_… I'm going to miss you sending me all the articles right after you post them!" Marinette laughed and elbowed her friend. "For some reason I don't think Lila would do the same thing."

It was the wrong thing to say. Alya only responded with a shrug of her shoulders and stuffed the rest of her school stuff into her bag before hurrying out the door.

Marinette finished packing up her stuff and left the classroom with the other students. They passed Lila talking with Alya in the hallway. Alya had stopped to inform her that there was no class that afternoon. Marinette heard Lila express what she imagined was surprise, but she didn't stick around to eavesdrop. How on Earth was Marinette going to get Alya out of Lila's clutches? Even _Ladybug_ couldn't break through Lila's wall.

She would have to wait until Alya wasn't with Lila to approach her again… and judging from what Alya had said, that wasn't going to be anytime today. Marinette had something else to focus on this afternoon - like thinking about maybe cuddling Adrien that night. She squealed to herself and if her feet touched the ground on the way back to her house, she didn't notice.

* * *

Alya answered the knock at the door. "Hey, girl!" She greeted Lila with _la bise_.

"Hey, yourself. Ready to get started?" Lila strolled into the apartment and looked around.

Alya put her hand on her hip. "That depends. Do you want to have ice cream now or later?"

"Why don't you show me the ropes first, then we'll have some ice cream and I'll think of some questions while we eat?" Lila clearly meant business, which helped Alya feel like she made the right choice. "Does that sound fair?"

"Sure, that sounds great!"

"_AUNTIE LILA!_" Ella and Etta stormed around the corner and smothered Lila in a group hug. "We thought we heard you! What are you doing here tonight?"

Alya couldn't hold back a smile. "Auntie Lila is coming over to help Big Sister Alya with something. If you two are good and leave us alone for a bit..."

The twins pouted. "Awwwwwww!"

"...you can each have some ice cream later on."

"YAAAYYYY!" Alya was using ice cream a _lot_ to bribe people recently.

Lila leaned down and booped Ella and Etta on the nose in turn. "Alright, you two. Listen to Alya and then you can tell me all about your day today over ice cream. Sound good?"

"We will, Auntie Lila!" They ran back to their room.

"They've been pretty easy to handle tonight. So far," Alya quickly added. "Alright, let's go. I've got my laptop all set up in my room."

"I brought mine!"

The girls went into Alya's room and closed the door. Lila opened up the Ladyblog and Alya showed her how to log in.

"OK, so once you log in, I have all the articles divided up into sections." She clicked on the article list page and started indicating the categories. "Here's a list of every akuma and its powers. This is a list of all the superheroes and their powers. A shorter list of what we know about the supervillains and their powers. I also have interviews, field reports from battles… things like that."

Lila pointed at the screen. "You don't have the akumas' real names on here?" She seemed surprised.

"No, I think it's a good idea to protect the innocent. People might get a reputation if they were akumatized, and it's probably best for those people to live in anonymity. I was akumatized myself… and I know I would appreciate it if there was someone else running the blog."

"That's a good point." It went unspoken between them that Lila had been akumatized more than anyone not named Chloé Bourgeois. Maybe Lila had just expected to see her name on the blog multiple times already.

"And I'm assuming you don't have the superheroes' real names on here either?"

Alya snorted. "Let's just say I don't know much about that."

"But you do know _something_?" Lila had journalistic instincts as well, it seemed.

"I've made… guesses. Nothing more. Anyone who's been akumatized, for example, can be ruled out. After that, anyone is fair game." Alya figured that answer was safe enough… and also protected her and Nino's identities.

"Well, except for Chloé."

"That's true. Chloé did graduate from akuma to hero."

"Do you know why she hasn't been at any of the battles recently? I would have thought she would have shown up at the big battle with Hawk Moth at the Tower. Especially since some of the heroes really struggled there." She tapped her chin with her finger. "She probably could have helped turn the tide."

Alya paused. It was one thing to talk about her concerns in costume with Ladybug, or out of costume with Nino. Bringing somebody like Lila "into the family", so to speak, made her uncomfortable, even if it wasn't compromising her secret identity. But then again, Lila was going to be the author of the _Ladyblog _for the foreseeable future and deserved to know.

"If I have any speculation, it's in an article somewhere. I really can't say more than that."

Lila narrowed her eyes and searched Alya's face, frowning. Then she quickly smiled and said, "Sounds good! How about that ice cream?"

"Girl, I thought you'd never ask."

* * *

Marinette paused outside of Room 116 at the hotel. She took a series of deep breaths and knocked.

Adrien answered. "Marinette! Hey! Sorry I didn't call you earlier. It's been a busy couple of days. What brings you by? Come on in!" He moved aside and gestured for her to enter.

Marinette walked in the room and silently cursed herself for not calling ahead. "I thought you might want the assignments from the past couple of days. It's not much, but you can't be having a good time cooped up in here." She shrugged her backpack off of her shoulders and opened it up.

"Wow, thanks, Marinette! You're right, I do miss school, strangely enough. My… friend… always gave me grief for wanting to attend school, but now that I can't, it feels in a way I'm back to square one." He took the pile of papers that Marinette was holding out to him. "Looks like fun! Thanks again!"

"When do you think you'll be able to come back?" She continued to hunt around in her backpack, not comfortable enough to look him in the eye.

"Well, they won't need me any more after tomorrow… or so they say. I'll probably take the rest of the week off just to clear my head and let some of this stuff blow over."

Marinette knew as well as Adrien did that the "stuff" blowing over was his father's arrest and subsequent trial. She also knew that there was as much of a chance of it blowing over as there was of pigs flying. "Did you, um, want to talk about it? I know you had kind of a big thing today."

His lips pinched into a grimace and he looked away. "You know what… right now I think I'd like to talk about anything but that. I probably should, though. But before we do that, maybe you can do me a favor?" He forced a smile onto his face and looked at Marinette with hope in his eyes.

Marinette's heart skipped a beat. "Sure, name it!"

"My bodyguard's not here, and I can't really leave the hotel room by myself, and I miss playing the piano. Will you accompany me to the hotel lobby so I can play a little bit, please? It helps relax me and once I do that, I'll be in the mood to talk and study a bit."

Marinette couldn't believe her good luck. She spoke barely above a whisper, because speaking too loudly might scare the idea away. "You... want to play piano for me?"

"Well, if you put it that way, then yes I do." Adrien's smile was about as dazzling as the keys on a piano.

Marinette barely suppressed a squeal. "Absolutely. I'll watch you play your safe! I mean… you can safely play my watch! Um… I will gladly be your piano security."

They left the hotel room, Adrien telling the officer on duty that they were going to the hotel lobby. The officer radioed down to the lobby to let them know that Adrien and his friend were on their way.

When they got to the lobby, the officer downstairs had cleared the lobby of any nonessential staff and guests.

"It feels weird. I chose a regular room so I wouldn't be treated special, and here I am having almost an entire floor cleared out for me. I'll make it quick." He walked over to the piano and lifted the lid. He shook his hands briefly to warm up and started to play a slow song that Marinette couldn't place but vaguely recognized.

"This is called _Watermark_, by an old Irish artist named Enya. Father wanted me to learn mostly classical music, but there's only so much Satie and Debussy you can learn. Besides, everybody knows those, and I wanted to branch out a bit."

"It's beautiful, Adrien." Marinette sighed, content. Hypnotized by the music, her feet moved of their own accord and brought her to the piano bench, where she sat down next to Adrien.

"Thanks, I really like it too."

After Adrien finished playing the Enya song, he played the first movement of _Moonlight Sonata_. "Do you know this one, Marinette?"

"That's Beethoven, right? It's pretty… a little sad though."

"Sometimes we have to let ourselves feel sad. I... struggled with that a bit, to be honest. Father always had such high expectations for me, and I couldn't really feel sad or angry or really… _anything_ for the longest time. Music was always how I expressed myself." He stopped playing suddenly and rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm sorry… I don't know why I'm telling you this. I don't mean to be a burden."

"You're never a _burden_, Adrien. So, tell me… do you feel sad now?" She reached out and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I would say I feel more melancholy than anything. Playing music helps. Talking helps." His green eyes met her blue eyes. "Having you here helps, too, _everyday Ladybug_."

Marinette flushed. She was really going to have to get her face under control if she was going to spend all of her time blushing. Either that, or she was going to have to get a different brand of foundation to help cover it up. No matter how close it was to her secret identity, her heart still fluttered in a good way when he called her that.

He yawned and stretched. "That was good for the soul. I should stop though before I get too tired. I'd like a catnap right about now, but you didn't come over just to watch me sleep, did you?" He smiled and Marinette felt her legs wobble.

"I'm sorry, a _what_?"

Adrien's face became a question mark. "A catnap. You know, like, um, a nap that a cat takes?"

"Oh, ha ha, right, sorry… I must have misheard you."

"Let's go back to my room and we can take a look at the homework you brought over. How does that sound, Bu- ddy?"

_Buddy?_ Is that better or worse than _just a friend?_ "That sounds great, Adrien." She smiled warmly, and they stood up and left the lobby.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, they were seated with their thighs touching next to each other on the couch in Adrien's hotel room, reviewing the French Literature lesson. The class was reading Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's novel _The Little Prince_. Adrien and Marinette were taking turns reading. It was currently Adrien's turn.

"If you love a flower that lives on a star, it is sweet to look at the sky at night. All the stars are a−bloom with flowers..."

Marinette definitely loved a flower who lived on a star. So close, so attainable! So unique! And yet, so far away… but she could see the star. She could smell the flower. It smelled radiant, carefree, dreamy...

"It is just as it is with the water. Because of the pulley, and the rope, what you gave me to drink was like music. You remember−− how good it was."

Music - his voice was like music. She closed her eyes and put her head on his shoulder as he continued to read.

The AkumAlert app on their phones went off, startling them apart.

It was just like Hawk Moth to send an akuma right when Marinette's love life was getting interesting. Except it wasn't Hawk Moth sending the akuma this time. It was… someone else. And she had no idea what she was up against.

Adrien must have been terrified of the akuma, because judging from his posture he was on full alert. He was crouched and ready to spring, almost like a cat playing with its favorite toy. His eyes met Marinette's.

"Um… I need to go let the police officer know that there's an akuma. I think there's going to be some sort of protocol or something if it decides to come after me like the Butterfly holder seems to be wanting to do. Yeah! Um… meet back here after the all-clear, OK?"

Marinette spontaneously gave him a hug. "Be safe. I'm going to, um… go to the designated shelter in the Métro. See you after the all-clear!" She took off toward the nearest door.

Adrien chuckled. "Marinette… that's the bathroom. The front door is this way."

"Oh! Ha ha… you're right. Sorry about that." She ran out the front door and into the stairwell.

* * *

Alya was knocking on the bathroom door. "Lila, are you OK in there? The AkumAlert app is going off and this is your first opportunity for a real scoop, girl!"

"One second!" Lila had barricaded herself in the bathroom, complaining about something she ate.

"Lila, you've been in there for ten minutes now, girl!" Alya started pacing. Lila wasn't going to fail her first test as the new Ladyblogger, was she?

"Sorry!" Lila emerged from the bathroom. "I think I might be lactose intolerant or something, because that ice cream did _not_ make me feel good. Where were we?"

"I _said_, forget ice cream scoops! There's your first scoop for the _Ladyblog!_ The AkumAlert app is sounding. Go check it out!"

"It would be my pleasure."


	20. A Night at the Park

The akuma battle was fierce. Even though the akuma wasn't as deadly as the Extermin-hater or as mind-bending as Empathy and Vertigo were, it was still a good fighter. Big, mean, and _fast_. Ladybug and Chat Noir had their hands full in the Jardin de Luxembourg, as they raced to subdue the akuma before it swatted them out of existence.

Ladybug took a breather behind some scaffolding and assessed the situation. Normally, akumas were trying to get their Miraculous for Hawk Moth. With Hawk Moth out of the equation, they had to figure out the _motive _for this akuma as well as try to defeat it. At some point during akuma battles in the past, a purple energy signature would illuminate the akuma's face. Master Fu had told Ladybug that the signature meant that Hawk Moth was communicating telepathically with the akuma. In this case, though, there was no energy signature, just an uncontrolled rampage.

The akuma was twice the size of Ladybug and Chat and had large, heavy fists. The closest comparison that Ladybug had was Anansi, except this akuma only had two arms and was actually motivated to destroy things. It even had the same headgear that Anansi had worn.

A green blur whizzed past her head. Carapace's shield clanked off of the akuma and sent it reeling.

"Glad you could make it, Captain Turtle!" Ladybug motioned for Carapace and Chat Noir to regroup with her. "Is Rena Rouge coming?"

Carapace frowned. "I haven't heard from her. She hasn't gotten in touch with you?"

"No, why would she?"

"Um… I think that's her story to tell, or at least it's a story for me to tell you after this battle. Let's clean this up and then we'll talk. Is Mister Bug coming?"

"I haven't seen him, either. I wouldn't count on it." Ladybug was mad at him but also mad at her stupidity for dismissing him so curtly the previous night. She was also mad at whoever the new Butterfly Miraculous holder was for interrupting the wonderful night she was having with Adrien. "Let's get to work. _Lucky charm!_"

A giant sword fell into Ladybug's hands.

"Isn't that the sword that Antibug got? And Nightmare Ladybug? What are _you_ doing with that, Bug?"

Ladybug considered the giant weapon in her hands. This wasn't like Malediktator, where she got a cartoonishly giant gun in order to use the laser sight. This was a _weapon_ \- the exact weapon that her enemies got. Specifically, the enemies who had Ladybug's powers. What on earth was Tikki trying to tell her? Ladybug wasn't sure that the Lucky Charms came directly from Tikki or if they came from a random collision of environment and probability, but… a _sword?_

"Chat… does this mean that we're the bad guys? Am I doing something wrong here?"

Chat eyed the sword suspiciously. "I never thought so, my Lady, but now I'm not so sure."

"_Chat Noir!_ Be serious, please!" One day he was going to joke around at the wrong time and pay for it. She hoped she never got the opportunity to tell him that she told him so.

"Aw, come on, Bug! You _know_ we're the good guys. Now hurry up and figure out what to do with that sword so we can get out of here!"

Ladybug was panicking. Sure, they were the good guys, and she knew that… but deep down, she also had to figure out what Tikki was trying to tell her… if she was trying to tell her anyway. Maybe _Ladybug_ wasn't the bad guy here… maybe it was the _other_ person with the Ladybug earrings. Was he up to something? Was that why he wasn't at the battle?

"Ladybug, do you have anything?" Carapace called out.

"I've got nothing! Sorry, give me one more minute!" A chirp came from her earrings.

"We don't have a minute! Look out, my Lady! _Cataclysm!_" Chat jumped at the akuma, who threw him into the scaffolding Ladybug was hiding behind. The scaffolding and the building it was next to collapsed on top of both of them, burying them. A series of muted chirps came from somewhere else in the pile.

"Ladybug, Chat, are you OK?" Carapace's voice came from outside the rubble. "Hang on, let me get this off of you!"

Ladybug tried to move. A bright light filled her vision as she felt a searing pain in her leg. She reached down as best she could, but could only reach the hilt of the sword. _The sword._ Her mind melted a bit as the realization of her being impaled by her own Lucky Charm hit her. "Carapace, don't waste your time! I've got this!"

"Ladybug, you sound hurt! Let me help! _Sh_-"

"_No,_ Carapace! We're going to need you to help shield us while we recharge! I've got this… one second…" she put her hand on the hilt of the sword. She closed her eyes and grit her teeth to help ward off the pain in her leg. "_Miraculous Ladybug!"_

A swarm of red-and-black sprites washed through the park, repairing the damage that the akuma had done. Ladybug opened her eyes and saw that her leg was healed. Carapace helped her to her feet, and Chat stood up and dusted himself off.

Urgent chirps sounded from Ladybug's earrings and Chat's ring.

"We've gotta take a breather so we can recharge. Where's the nearest place?" The akuma had resumed destroying everything within sight, including things that had just been restored by the Miraculous Cure.

"Right here! You two go in there and recharge! I'll hold the akuma off!" Carapace shoved Ladybug and Chat Noir into the building that had collapsed on top of them earlier. "_Shell-ter!_" Ladybug heard from the other side of the door.

The building was dimly lit. Chat extended his baton and turned the flashlight on. "Do you have food for your kwami with you? I can share some of mine if you need."

"No, I'll have some in my purse when we de-transform. Always prepared, you know." She forced a smile on her face.

"OK. Back-to-back, no peeking?"

Ladybug hummed. She had just revealed her identity to her parents last night. Chat knew that. She could guess that deep down, Chat wasn't really pleased about not being the first to know. But this was his offer, so she decided to take it. Still… the voice in her head saying he deserved to know was getting louder. "You can look if you want, Chat."

"No, my Lady. We'll save that for another time. We've got plenty of other stuff to work through first." He reached down and brought the back of her hand up to kiss it, then ghosted his lips across her knuckles. He turned his back to her. "On three, OK? One… two…"

Ladybug whirled around so her back was to him.

"Three! Claws in." A green flash came from behind Ladybug.

"Spots off." A pink flash, and Marinette caught Tikki in mid-air.

The silence in the shed was deafening as the kwamis ate as quickly as possible. Plagg must have wolfed his food down, because he floated over to Marinette and Tikki. He patted Tikki on the head and gave Marinette a wink before floating back to Not Chat Noir.

Marinette sighed. She knew that Chat was crazy about Ladybug. And with his refusing to accept her offer to look at her without the mask, she also knew how much he respected her. Why did he have to be so… so… _such a perfect gentleman?_

"Is something wrong, my Lady?"

"Chat… you said we'll save it for another time. This is our first akuma fight since… since… well, you know… and we haven't really even talked about it. Can we get together tomorrow during lunch?"

"We should be able to, Bug. I'll text you. Hey…" He scrabbled behind him and took Marinette's hand. "It'll be OK. Whatever happens, we're always a team. _Always._ OK? Let's just get through the battle right now. I think Carapace could use a hand out there."

She squeezed his hand. His skin was very soft, softer than she would have expected. "You're right. Thanks, Kitty. _Spots on!"_

"_Claws out!"_

Chat went to run out the door, but Ladybug grabbed his tail.

"...My Lady?" Chat turned to face her.

She reached out and took his hand again, this time bringing it to her lips for a kiss. "Thank you."

Ladybug was glad that she didn't go with her original plan of kissing him on the cheek, because that probably would have shut him down for good. He stood there with his mouth wide open, blinking.

She waved a hand in front of his face. "Kitty? Come on, time to go." She grabbed his wrist and ran out the door, ready to finish the battle.

* * *

The second half of the battle went much better than the first. De-transforming together must have done something to get the two of them on the same page, because Ladybug and Chat Noir were in sync more than they ever had been in the past.

Ladybug and Chat were able to drive the akuma back enough to stagger it, which gave her time to call for her Lucky Charm. A red-and-black-spotted vegetable fell into her hands.

"A _tomato?_ OK, then, here goes nothing…" She wound up and threw the tomato into the akuma's eyes, where it splatted, blinding it. Carapace ran up behind the akuma and took its legs out with his shield, knocking it off its feet for the first time of the battle. Chat Cataclysmed the boxing headgear off of its head, freeing the butterfly.

Ladybug wound up her yo-yo and captured the butterfly, purifying it. She then picked up the biggest piece of tomato she could find and flung it into the air, calling for her Cure. After everything was restored by Miraculous Ladybug, the three heroes met in a small clearing. "We have a few minutes" - Ladybug's earrings and Chat's ring chirped to underscore her point - "so tell us what happened to Rena Rouge."

Carapace fidgeted. "I'm surprised she didn't tell you herself, to be honest. On the way home from the Guardian's, she was mugged and someone stole her Miraculous."

"_WHAT?!"_ Ladybug's heartbeat sped up to what she estimated was a million miles per minute. "Is she OK? Who did it? Oh my gosh!" She had to calm down. Magic suit or no magic suit, her heart was going to burst from her chest if she didn't get control. Her ears rang as the blood rushed through them.

Carapace held his hands up defensively. "She's fine, no, she didn't see who her attacker was."

"But why didn't she reach out to me? Why didn't she go back to the Guardian? Why didn't _you_ let us know?" Ladybug stomped her foot and started to poke Carapace in the chest.

He blocked her with his shield. "Hey, Ladybug… it's not like anyone knows how to get in touch with you outside of the mask. And you mentioned that your communicator's on the fritz. The Guardian told us to not go back there. As for why _I_ didn't reach out to you… it was her story to tell. She asked me to not tell anyone. In hindsight, that wasn't the greatest decision, but I respected her wishes on that. Look… I'll tell her to get in touch. How should she do that?"

Ladybug hummed. "I'll meet her at the bottom of the Tower tomorrow night. From there, we can go somewhere more private."

"I'll pass that along. One of us will be there tomorrow night. See you then." He leaped off into the distance.

Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous each chirped. "And I'll be in touch tomorrow as well, my Lady." Chat gave a two-finger salute and vaulted away.

* * *

Concealed by a nearby bush, Lila took careful notes. A missing Miraculous, still no Queen Bee - who wasn't even _mentioned_ \- and some tension among the team. Alya was right; this would make an _excellent_ scoop for the _Ladyblog_. She sneaked away and ran back to Alya's apartment. Tonight was going to be a long night if she wanted to have her article up first thing in the morning… and if she could manage it, tomorrow night would be an even _bigger_ scoop.

* * *

Chat Noir returned to the hotel room and de-transformed. He tossed Plagg some more cheese. "Eat up, buddy… it's been a busy night."

"Tell me about it! Two Cataclysms _and_ you took a beating. I think I might need some extra cheese!" He floated lazily past. "But I don't think that's the biggest story - you _held Ladybug's hand_ tonight! And she kissed you! I mean, kissed your hand, but still, baby steps, right? It's better than nothing!"

"Plagg, she's kissed me on the cheek before, it's not a big deal!"

"When she kissed you on the cheek before you didn't act like you were going to jump out of your suit."

Adrien opened his mouth to say something but couldn't get a word out before Plagg started speaking again..

"Don't say it! Don't say a word, kid. I was there both times and I know how you reacted. Tonight was _different_. Why?"

Adrien sat down on the couch. "Well, this was really the first time we were alone together since the battle on the Tower. Since… Empathy. She _really, honestly, truly_ knows how I feel about her, and she still held my hand and then kissed it! I mean, if she was just playing with me or didn't think I was sincere, then she wouldn't have done it. And besides, Ladybug's not the kind of person who would play with someone's feelings on purpose. I learned that the hard way, twice. She _hates_ liars. And I know from Empathy that even though she might not _romantically_ love me… she still cares about me and loves me in her own way. That's what I want to talk to her about tomorrow."

"And speaking of _romantic_ love… what about Marinette? You two have been getting pretty close too! You can't tell me that you're going to date two girls at once, are you?"

"Plagg… it's complicated. Ladybug loves Chat, but not romantically. If Marinette wants to get to know Adrien romantically, then I'm all for that! She's a great person in her own right, and if it turns out that I date her instead of Ladybug, then why not? She's a very good friend! Don't get me wrong… Marinette's not a rebound or a second choice or anything like that. It's just… well, I'm not sure what it is, yet. But I'm willing to stick around and find out."

There was a knock on the door. Plagg flew into Adrien's shirt as he went to answer it.

"Oh, hi, Marinette! All clear, then?"

"Yeah! All clear! I got back here as fast as I could. You know how crowded those cocoona shelters can get."

Adrien smiled. It was cute how Marinette would get tongue-tied around him. It wasn't something he could relate to very much: he never got really tongue-tied around anyone. Maybe having her over more often would get her more at ease around him. "Yeah! I'm just glad you're OK."

There was an awkward silence. Marinette's foot traced the floor. Adrien reflexively reached up and rubbed the back of his neck, a habit he picked up from watching his father sweat over designs before he hit it big.

"Thanks. Me, too. You too, I mean. I mean, I'm glad you're OK, too."

* * *

Marinette's phone went off, shattering the tension in the room. "Sorry, that's my mom. Let me see what she wants."

**[Mom] Great job tonight, proud of you! Come home soon.**

Marinette chuckled and rolled her eyes. "I've gotta get home. I wish we could have studied more together, though. Do it again on Friday? I can't tomorrow… my, um, parents are having me help out in the bakery."

"That sounds fantastic, Marinette. I look forward to it."

"Me too." She reached out and squeezed his hand - he had the smoothest skin, but of course he did, he was a _model_ \- and went home.


	21. Lunchtime

When Marinette got to the school the next morning, she thought it was going to be a normal Thursday. And she was right: it started off fantastically. The sun was shining, birds were chirping… but unfortunately that all came crashing down as she stepped into the classroom. Still no Adrien, which she was expecting. But in addition to the usual ire and conflict, Miss Bustier and Principal Damocles were standing at the front of the classroom with their arms folded.

Marinette took her seat. For once, she wasn't the last to arrive to class. When Lila came walking in, Principal Damocles clapped his hands.

"Class, attention, please! I was informed yesterday afternoon that the entire class decided to skip lessons. You all need to know that it is completely unacceptable to do that, and if you have a problem with your school or your teacher, you need to raise it through the appropriate channels. Your poor teacher - she has done everything in her power to make school fun and engaging, and even goes out of her way to help you learn valuable life lessons, like resisting akumas and de-stressing. She deserves to be treated better than this! Now, what do you have to say for yourselves? Miss Dupain-Cheng, you are the class representative, I'm sure you can speak for your class here?"

Marinette shot out of her chair and stood at attention. "Principal Damocles, I'm sorry! - Miss Bustier came into the classroom right after lunch yesterday and told us all to go home because classes were canceled! I don't know how this mixup happened, though! She told us! Right, guys?" She looked to her classmates for support and saw a sea of nodding heads and raised hands.

"Dupain-Cheng is right, Miss Bustier came in here and told us all to go home. And if you have a problem with that, then I'll get my Daddy to come in and give you a talking to!"

"Please, Miss Bourgeois, I don't think that will be necessary." Principal Damocles fidgeted in place.

Kim raised his hand and piped up. "We all saw her come in here. I'm not sure who else it could have been."

Loud alarm bells started going off in Marinette's head. Loud, insistent alarm bells. She sunk down into her seat and hummed. Was there a Ms. Bustier imposter going around? It was probable but not likely. What was more probable was that someone was using a Miraculous to imitate their teacher. It could have been an akuma that looked like her, a shapeshifting akuma - same thing, really - or someone with the Fox Miraculous creating an illusion.

But why target their class? Marinette supposed it was the same reason why everyone in their class had been akumatized - before, she thought it had been a coincidence or just bad luck or that the Miraculous somehow attracted akuma… but it turned out that Hawk Moth had a son in that class. Had Adrien been the target of those akumas all along? She shook her head to clear the thought. She couldn't imagine Gabriel Agreste doing anything like that, regardless of what kind of parent he was… even though Gabriel Agreste did send multiple monsters to break her and take her jewelry.

Was the imposter caused by someone in the class? She'd have to keep an eye out. To her left, she tried to gauge Alya's feelings. This was something she could approach her as Ladybug… or maybe she could even approach her as Marinette. How would she be able to approach her as Marinette without giving away both of their identities? Well… there was the _Ladyblog_… the one that Alya just gave up to Lila, of all people. Hmph. That wouldn't work.

Oh no! Principal Damocles was leaving, and Marinette had no idea if her daydreaming had prevented her from hearing something important. She grabbed Alya's arm. "What'd I miss?" She tried to keep her voice low enough to prevent Ms. Bustier from hearing her.

"Girl, were you daydreaming _again?_ I don't know how that's even _possible_, since Adrien's still not here. Principal Damocles just said that all dismissals would come from him and him alone going forward, until they got to the bottom of this. What _was_ on your mind, anyway?"

"I was thinking… who could have impersonated Miss Bustier? It sounds like a mystery, doesn't it?" Marinette poked Alya in the shoulder. "A mystery that a journalist like you would eat right up! Want to put our heads together and figure this one out? Maybe it's a supervillain or something like that!"

Alya's eyes clouded over and she hummed. "Why would a supervillain imitate our teacher, though? That doesn't make any sense. If it were a supervillain, that would be up to someone else. I'm out of the superhero and supervillain business."

Marinette snorted. "You? Out of the superhero business? What happened to my friend the superhero journalist?"

"It wasn't what happened to your friend, it's what happened to _my_ friends." Marinette saw Nino turn his head slightly so his ear was pointing toward them. "I've seen too many of my friends get hurt or worse during akuma attacks. I'm done." She looked down at her desk and blinked. "If it weren't so late in the school year, I'd ask my parents if I could transfer to a school outside of Paris away from everything here."

"Alya, you can't do that! You have people who depend on you! Who need you! What about your BFF? What about Nino?"

"I'd miss you both, but as long as there are supervillains on the loose, I don't think I could stick around. Sorry, girl, that includes you, too."

Marinette blinked. _This_ was _definitely_ not the Alya she knew. The Alya she knew was passionate, full of life… this Alya just seemed _done_ with everything.

"Pay attention, please!" Miss Bustier clapped her hands. "Let's pick up where we left off on Tuesday, as we have a lot to cover to make up for the missed time. Please open your copies of _Le Petit Prince_ and we will discuss the latest chapter."

* * *

Class proceeded normally until 11 AM. Marinette took every free opportunity to watch her classmates and see if anyone was acting out of the ordinary, but she couldn't really tell. Chloé still looked like a brat, Adrien was absent, and Lila was, well, _Lila_, that skeevy lying liar… but nothing stood out to her as odd.

They were switching subjects at the top of the hour when Marinette's phone vibrated. She checked the notification and saw that it was a new post on the _Ladyblog_. Hmm… she had a few minutes before history officially started, she could scan the article and see how Lila had done on her first try.

"Three Miraculous Heroes Missing: Tension in the Group?"

Marinette squawked. Alya looked over to see what the problem was, and Marinette frantically gestured at her phone while she continued reading. Alya pulled the _Ladyblog_ up on her phone.

Marinette read: "At last night's akuma battle in the Jardin de Luxembourg, the Miraculous Team barely scraped out a victory, mostly due to declining numbers on their side. Queen Bee, Rena Rouge, and the so-called Lordbug were no-shows at the fight, leaving Carapace, Chat Noir, and Ladybug in a fight for their lives against the unnamed akuma. The three heroes took a lot of damage and needed two Lucky Charms and two Cataclysms in order to defeat the akuma. The first Lucky Charm and Cataclysm worked against them, trapping Ladybug, who had to call for Miraculous Ladybug early so she could free herself from a pile of rubble. After the fight was over, an angry Ladybug confronted Carapace about the whereabouts of Rena Rouge, and they arranged a secret meeting tonight at the bottom of the Eiffel Tower. Your humble correspondent will be on the scene trying to get the latest scoop!"

Marinette didn't have time to get upset at Alya _or_ Lila, because Chloé and Sabrina both stormed over and got in Alya's face. "How _could_ you post such a defamatory article on your stupid blog about this? You _know darn well_ that Queen Bee was forced into retirement through _no fault of my own_ and publishing something like this is irresponsible, insulting, and ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous! What do you have to say for yourself?"

Alya stood her ground. "That wasn't me that published that article! Lila's the editor of the _Ladyblog_ now, talk to her about it! But let me talk to her first, though… it was her first article and I didn't give much direction other than _go get a story_. Let me find out where she's going with this and I'll talk to you after lunch, OK?"

"That's nice of you to stand up for that… that… _person_, Alya, but if that article isn't taken down I'll have Daddy take the whole site down for slander!"

"It's libel, actually." Alya interrupted, voice cold as ice. "And you will get _nowhere_ with threatening me. Freedom of the press is guaranteed by the French Constitution - July 29, 1881 if you need to look it up or review your history notes. And speaking of history… go sit down, the lesson's about to begin."

Sabrina pulled Chloé back to her seat.

Marinette looked at Alya. "That sounds _bad_."

"I'll talk with her. Probably a first-time article thing. Maybe she didn't realize that the _Ladyblog_ is a fan site first and a news site second."

"I don't think Lila's what you would call a _fan_ of Ladybug." She rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Quite the opposite, as a matter of fact."

Alya turned and faced Marinette. "Girl, _what _are you basing that on? You've had it in for Lila for so long! Sure, she's been akumatized a lot and fought Ladybug… but it's no worse than Chloé, and Chloé _cosplays_ Ladybug in her spare time. For all we know, Lila does the same thing."

If Lila ever dressed in a Ladybug costume, the first thing Marinette would do would be to ask Tikki for a new design. Maybe a design that used the spots to spell out _Lila Rossi is a big lying liar_ on it.

Marinette shrugged and paid attention to the History lesson. She had to take good notes for Adrien, after all.

* * *

Marinette checked her other phone right before leaving for lunch to see if Chat had messaged her about a meetup spot. There was a single message on there.

**[Chat Noir][11:55 AM] Meet me at the top of Tour Montparnasse?**

**[Ladybug][11:58 AM] I'll be there.**

A lunchtime meeting... on top of the Tour Montparnasse? Why not on top of the Eiffel Tower, as usual? Maybe he didn't want her to have two meetings at the Tower in one day? She packed up her stuff and ran home to stow it in her room and grab some pastries.

While she was in the bakery, she pulled her mother aside. "Lunchtime meeting with my partner. I'll see you after school."

"You don't need to check in with us, dear, but I appreciate it. Have fun and be safe." Her mother smiled and squeezed Marinette on the shoulder.

Marinette smiled and nodded. She went back upstairs to her room, transformed, and left via the skylight.

Ladybug arrived on the roof of the Tour Montparnasse a few minutes later to find Chat practicing a tightrope walk along his extended baton.

"Hey, Bug!" He did a pirouette, then kicked his baton into the air. He collapsed it and stowed it in its clip.

"Hey Kitty. Nice moves you've got there." She waved the small white bag. "Brought you something."

"Why thank you!" He took the bag and opened it. "Oh my goodness, _chouquettes?_ Are you _kidding me_? Thank you _so much!_" He hugged Ladybug. "Did you want a chair? I can grab one for you."

"No thanks… we can just sit here on the ledge. I like the view of the city from here."

Chat did a tightrope walk on the edge and sat down next to her, eating the pastries. "So."

"So." She agreed.

He swallowed the last of the chouquettes. "You first. I insist."

"Chat - first off, are you okay?" She curled a leg underneath her and turned to face him. "I mean, you're my partner and I want the best for you as much as I can possibly give it. That fight with Hawk Moth took a lot out of you, I could tell. You got creamed by the sentimonster I don't know how many times… and then you went after Hawk Moth with Cataclysm! I'm… I'm worried about you."

"I appreciate that, Bug. I know a lot of people have made a big deal about me being the sidekick, or me being the cannon fodder while you formulate the real plan. And part of that is true. But we're a team - I _did_ get creamed by the sentimonster, and I would do it all over again." The look in Chat's eyes was one of adoration.

Ladybug squirmed. "I know that look in your eyes, Chat. I know it because I felt the feelings behind it. Empathy - they _linked_ us, emotionally, even for just a few minutes."

"And what did you feel when you were linked to me, my Lady?"

"I felt… admiration. Respect. _Love_. Even when you were getting beat up, those feelings were _always_ there. And when you were facing down Gabriel, I felt rage, confusion, sadness… but still _love_." She took a wavering breath. "And I'm not really sure how to process that. I'm not even sure how _you_ do it."

"My Lady… being with you, being Chat Noir - those are the times I'm happiest. Every other thing that happens during those times just bounces right off of me. The happiness of being Chat Noir makes me more immune to other feelings, I guess."

"So the feelings of love that I felt - that was just because you were Chat Noir?"

"Not exactly, my Lady. They were because I was with _you_. Transformed or not, spending time in your presence lifts me up. I know you didn't come here for a declaration of love - and I don't want to make you uncomfortable - but that admiration and respect? You know exactly where those were coming from." He put his hand over his heart.

Ladybug looked away. "What did… what did you feel from me?"

"I felt… determination. Focus. A little anxiety, too. You seemed worried for your friends - for your teammates."

"But… no love?"

"Bug, I _know_ you don't feel the same way about me that I do about you. I've known that for a while. But…" He waved his arm around him, and suddenly Ladybug knew why he wanted to meet on this particular rooftop. "I know that deep down, I might still have a chance with you. I don't know what it will take to get us back to where we were the last time we were up here… but I've gotta keep trying."

Oblivio. It was a shame that the most reliable documentor of Ladybug and Chat Noir's adventures was part of that particular akuma. Instead of a chronicle of the fight, all they got was a picture of them in a _very_ non-partner-like kiss. Ladybug was appalled that it had happened: sure, it wasn't the first time she had kissed her partner, but it _was _the first time she had kissed him without the intent of defeating a villain. Yes, they were getting closer as partners, and she even returned his puns and some of his chivalrous gestures - like kissing his hand yesterday - but that's what it was: chivalry. Right? Nothing else?

It was too much for Ladybug. Tears spilled unbidden from her eyes and rolled down her mask before spattering on the ledge. "Chat - you're so sweet. The phone, those playlists - which are phenomenal by the way - I keep telling myself that we'll reveal ourselves to each other once all the danger is past. But if things keep going the way they are, there's always going to _be_ danger. And _I don't know_ how to cope with that. The danger is fine. Keeping myself from my partner isn't. I know how you feel about me and I know that you're sincere about it. I also know that _something_ must have happened during Oblivio to bring us closer together." She took a deep breath and rubbed her legs.

"But here's the thing: Being Ladybug isn't 100% of my life. I don't know how much being Chat is your life, but I've got friends who I love and adore… and yes, one boy in particular among them. And we're making progress, _finally_, after what seems like years. I don't know, Chat, I just don't think it's fair to him to play him on one side of the mask and you on the other side of the mask. And I don't think it's fair to you, either. I'm not saying I can't fall in love with you, because I obviously did once… I'm just saying that I've only got room for one person in my heart… and right now, it's not you. I'm sorry."

"I know. And it's OK, Bug. _Really,_ it is. We'll get there. I'm confident we will. In the meantime, the torch I have for you is burning as bright as I'll let it. I meant what I said yesterday: that no matter what happens, we'll always be a team. You'll see the light one of these days. And I'll be right here for you when you do. I promise." He reached over and squeezed her hand. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to make you cry by bringing you here. It needed to get out into the open so we could move on from it. You're the best partner I've ever had. Our friendship means a lot to me. I don't want anything to get in our way. What did you say after Vanisher? 'Chat Noir and I, we're an unstoppable team.' Well, you're right. We _are_ an unstoppable team. And if the only thing that _can_ stop us is ourselves, I'd prefer that to not happen. You should probably get back to school." He stood up and offered his hand.

She took it and pulled herself up. "Chat…"

"It's OK. Honest. We have to be honest with each other, right? Oh… one thing, real quick. I didn't know that Rena Rouge and Carapace knew each other on both sides of the mask."

"How did you figure that out?"

"It was obvious that Carapace knew Rena Rouge when you asked him if she was coming. When he mentioned that she lost the Fox, then things fell into place. It explains a lot… and don't worry, I can keep a secret!" He winked.

Did Chat have support on both sides of the mask like they had? Rena Rouge and Carapace had each other… Ladybug had her parents now, even though they had no idea what it was like to be a superhero… did Chat have anybody? Did Mister Bug count as support?

"Oh, shoot… speaking of losing the Fox, I think that whoever has it might be using it to create illusions. Keep an eye out for anything odd."

"Will do, L.B. You'll be the first to hear anything I find out. Now hurry up and get going - you're going to be late."

* * *

Chat vaulted off the tower and to a lower rooftop. He took off running, feeling the wind in his hair. He spent more time as Chat Noir than he probably should these days, but it was OK. Chat Noir was freedom. Chat Noir was escape. Come Monday, he would return to school and everything would go back to something that resembled normal. He hoped.

He extended his baton to vault to the next roof, but he never made it. A red-and-black blur tackled him out of the sky before he could react. There was a pink flash and Chat held on for dear life, aiming for the nearest rooftop. At the last minute, he turned and landed first, wrapping up the person who tackled him tightly so they wouldn't be injured in the fall.

When they skidded to a stop, Chat permitted himself to open his eyes again. A mop of blond hair and bright green eyes stared back at him.

"Hey, Adrien. Glad to see I've got your attention. Let's… _Ch_… no, wait, I think I used that one already. Lend me your ears."


	22. Playtime

Chat Noir pushed Oldrien off from on top of him. "What on earth was _that_ for?! You could have been killed! I could have been killed! _We_ could have been killed!"

Oldrien rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry… I thought cats _liked_ to play fight!"

Chat Noir stood up and backed away slowly, baton at the ready. "How do I know it's really you?"

"The passphrase is _the cat's pajamas_." Oldrien rolled his eyes. "You came up with that one yourself, if I remember correctly. Not your finest effort, but it'll do."

"Fair enough, it's you. Me. Us." Chat grunted. "What did you want to talk to me about? No, wait, back up: why did you de-transform in mid-air like that? What if I just dropped you? Am I really _that_ reckless?"

"You're not that reckless. I figured out what was going on with transforming, with the double lucky charms… and with a lot of stuff, actually. I need you to tell Ma… my Lady, er, _our_ Lady about it."

Chat bristled. "Why won't you tell her yourself?"

"She's upset at me about the other night." Oldrien held out his hands. "I showed up after her parents smooshed the akuma and we… had words. It's nothing that isn't fixable, but she probably isn't my biggest fan right about now. Anyway… let's get started. About the double lucky charms…"

"Wait, _what_ double lucky charms?" He held up two fingers. "She had to use Lucky Charm twice yesterday at the park, but she's had to do that before. And may I remind you that you weren't even there!" He pointed at Oldrien. "How could you possibly know?"

Oldrien held up his hands and took a step towards Chat. "Calm down a bit, Adrien, OK? I already gave the passphrase. You have to trust me on this one, because it's important. Remember when you fought Vertigo on top of the hotel roof? What were the lucky charms then?"

Chat folded his arms. "I wasn't there, remember? I didn't get to the fight until after it was over."

"Oh yeah, that's right. Well, we each got a strobe light for a lucky charm. Next battle was Empathy at the Eiffel Tower."

"No, the next battle was the Extermin-hater, and you didn't show for _that_ one, either."

Oldrien looked like he was about to say something, but stopped short. "You're right. Moving on, Empathy at the Eiffel Tower. What were the lucky charms there?"

"Well, I _was _getting battered by a sentimonster at the time, so I didn't get a chance to look... but it was handcuffs, right?"

"Correct. Two pairs of handcuffs. Now, Ladybug and I are getting the same object for Lucky Charm, even if only one of us casts the spell. And I'll prove it to you: the lucky charm objects last night were that giant sword from nightmare Ladybug, and a tomato."

Chat waved his arms again. "But _you weren't there_, how do you know? It wasn't in the _Ladyblog_ or anything like that!"

Oldrien stepped forward and put his hands on Chat's shoulders. "I _know_ because _I got them too._ Just because I wasn't at the battle doesn't mean I wasn't transformed. And believe me, it's not fun being transformed all of a sudden and then having a large sword fall out of the sky at you. Ask your principal about that one." He smirked.

"Wait, back up." Chat shook him off and started pacing. "'Transformed all of a sudden'? What does that even mean?"

"That's what I'm trying to _tell you_, Adrien. Ladybug and I are _linked_. There must be something going on with the time travel that's affecting both of us at the same time. When either of us transforms, the other does automatically. When either of us casts Lucky Charm or Miraculous Ladybug, the other does automatically. When her Tikki talks, so does mine. That's how I was able to know where she was all the time, or how I was able to get to her place the other night so quickly after the akuma. It's why I walk around in this disguise all the time - I don't know when Ladybug is going to transform or detransform, so I have to be prepared lest I give our identity away. Can you _imagine_ the attention you'd get if an older version of you was spotted roaming the streets of Paris and suddenly you were a superhero? You think getting chased by fans is bad _now_…"

"So Ladybug must have gotten back to school and detransformed while you were in mid-jump to meet me." He blew out a breath in awe. "You got seriously lucky there."

"You're not kidding. Thanks for having my back. And speaking of backs and detransforming - you and Ladybug detransformed in front of each other yesterday?"

Chat Noir grinned. "Yeah… we kept our backs to each other. She _held my hand_ for a bit. It was pretty amazing. You say that we get together in the future, right?"

"Unless you screw it up somehow…" He chuckled at the face Chat made. "Relax, I'm kidding with you. Yes. In fact… she'll be here in a few days to pick me up and take me back to the future."

"Oh wow! That'll be amazing. I bet you miss her."

"More than anything else. Hey… I need a favor of you before you go back to school."

What could an adult version of Adrien need from teenage Adrien? "What is it? Why can't you do it yourself?"

"It's something that only _you_ can do. I don't really exist, remember? I need you to go visit Father. Find out why he became Hawk Moth. See what he tells you."

"Wait, _what_? You told me that already!" He looked at the ground and scuffed his boots, then continued in a quiet voice. "You said it was revenge on the world for taking Mother away from us!"

"Just… see what he says, OK?"

Chat shrugged. "I'll think about it. He's the last person I want to see right about now."

"Maybe so, but he's the most important person you need to see right about now. Trust me on this one, OK? Now… how about a lift home?"

* * *

Marinette returned to the classroom to find yet again Lila and Alya in conference. She half-listened in while she got ready for the afternoon session.

"So like I was saying, Lila, the _Ladyblog_ is a fan site _first_ and a news site _second_. We don't really do the whole tabloid journalism thing that you wrote last night. I appreciate your efforts, though, and it's a good start… but it doesn't really fit the tone of the site."

"And all that work and speculation that you've done trying to find out Ladybug's identity? That was all a joke?" There was an edge to Lila's voice that Marinette remembered very well from the time Lila had cornered her in the girls' bathroom.

"Not really a joke, but it was done kind of… lightheartedly, I'd guess you'd say. I never _really_ expected to discover Ladybug's identity. I'll be real with you, girl, I honestly don't _want_ to know her identity anymore. Superheroes deserve privacy in a way, you know? Chloe's the exception to this particular rule since she advertised her identity herself, but if Ladybug wants to keep her ID a secret, I say we let her."

Good. Alya was doing her best to deflect Lila. How much of that was her being afraid of Lila outing her as Rena Rouge?

"But that's no _fun_, Alya. Going after the superheroes like that is all part of the chase. Besides, with Hawk Moth out of the picture, Paris has got to know _something_ about their superheroes." The menace had faded from Lila's voice and she was back to the annoying sing-sing tone Marinette associated with her trying to get what she wanted. "You wouldn't want Ladybug to become a distant and forgotten memory, would you?"

"You know as well as I do that regardless of Gabriel Agreste being behind bars, there's still someone out there making akumas. If you want a scoop and if you want to keep Ladybug and the _Ladyblog_ relevant, find out who that person is."

Lila stormed off in a huff.

"Crap, I meant to ask her if she could babysit tonight." Alya rested her head in her hands. "Marinette, I don't suppose _you'd_ be able to…?"

"Um, sorry, Alya, I have, ah, something to do for my parents tonight."

"No, it's OK. _Crap!_ Well, it's not like I was looking forward to tonight anyway… I'll see what I can pull together. Maybe I can owe Nora _another_ favor…"

Ms. Bustier walked in, signaling the start of class.

Marinette cast a worried look at Alya, who was chewing her nails.

* * *

Adrien waited in the visitors area of _La Santé_ prison. His father had been remanded to custody here while awaiting trial. Even though the case of Hawk Moth was fairly straightforward - not that many people could claim to be magical terrorists - the investigative judge assembling the case wanted to take his time and show Paris that the threat of Hawk Moth was indeed done forever. Adrien had done some reading on the French judicial system, and he knew Father could be kept here for up to four years before a trial even begun. He shuddered. The visitors area - emptied of other people due to the high security of the case - was a cold, dank place that smelled vaguely of metal and sweat. The buzz from the fluorescent lights was nearly overpowering. Everything was in blueish-green hues, and there was very little light from the small windows located near the ceiling. Adrien nervously looked at Lieutenant Raincomprix, who had accompanied him here.

The guard called "Agreste!" and Adrien leaped out of his seat. He followed the guard to a booth, where he took a seat behind some thick glass and picked up the telephone. He gasped as Father was led in to the other side of the booth. Instead of his usual perfect hair and dapper dress, he was dressed in a bright orange jumpsuit. His hair was rumpled, and his complexion paler than Adrien had remembered it. Father picked up the matching phone on the other end of the glass.

"You have three minutes." The guard took a step back to give them some semblance of privacy.

"Hello, Adrien. It's good to see you. I'm surprised you came out."

"Father. How are you doing?"

Gabriel smiled and patted the desk in front of him. "I'm doing fine. Everything is going to be OK, and I'll be out of here soon."

"You're just saying that. I don't need the reassurance, Father."

For the first time that Adrien could remember, Gabriel looked uncomfortable.

Adrien looked down at his hand and twisted the ring on his finger. It felt like a long time before he looked up at his father. "Why did you do it?"

"I don't understand. Why did I reassure you? Because -"

Adrien looked at his father. "No, why did you become Hawk Moth?"

"Adrien - it's complicated. I was trying to save your Mother. Please, trust me and listen to me. I was trying to save her and everything went horribly wrong."

"Trying to save her? What do you mean? She disappeared! Do you know where she went?"

"Time's up, Mr. Agreste."

"Adrien - you'll have to carry on my work! Please! At the mansion -"

The telephone line went dead and Adrien struggled to read his father's lips. The guard forcibly took the phone out of his father's hand and hung it up, then led him away.

Adrien remained in his chair. _Carry on his father's work? _What did he mean by that? Did he mean the fashion business? Did he mean trying to get the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous? Granted, he was halfway there as it was and already wildly more successful than his father had ever been. Come to think of it, he had already succeeded because Oldrien had the Ladybug Miraculous… so he had them both already. Why would he need them, though?

He shook his head. Adrien wasn't a villain. He wouldn't carry on his father's work. Maybe something else would get him through life… but doing his Father's work wasn't going to be that.

Adrien snorted. _Adrien Agreste as Hawk Moth. As if._

He got up and left the prison, Lieutenant Raincomprix accompanying him back to Le Grand Paris.

* * *

Ladybug arrived at the bottom of the Eiffel Tower a few minutes before 7:00. She was disappointed but not surprised to see Carapace waiting there for her. She nodded upwards, indicating that he should join her on the highest level of the Tower.

She swung up to the top deck and watched the sun set over her beloved city. The view of the city from the Tower would always define Paris for her. The lights winking on, outlining the buildings. Taillights of busy people going home to dinner or out to enjoy the nightlife. Spotlights illuminating the important landmarks. Paris was vibrant; it was _alive_.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" She sighed. Despite all of the problems that she was facing right now, moments like this made them worth it.

"It is." Carapace fidgeted. "Hey, sorry… she couldn't make it tonight. She -" He was interrupted as the elevator on the level dinged. "What? I thought this level of the Tower was closed for maintenance!"

A short, paunchy man with dark hair emerged from the elevator. He was dressed in blue coveralls and was carrying a toolbox. "Sorry, no need to interrupt on my account. Just doing some quick repairs to the elevator panel." He turned his back to them and began fiddling with the buttons next to the elevator.

"Anyway, as I was saying… she couldn't make it tonight. I'm not sure if she really wanted to or not, but… yeah. Here I am."

Ladybug looked over her shoulder at the maintenance man, who was still fiddling with something on the wall next to the elevator. She lowered her voice slightly just to be safe. "What can you tell me about what happened?"

Carapace recounted what he had seen and heard. Waiting outside the building. Hearing a cry and a thud. Coming upon a detransformed Rena Rouge and learning of the missing Miraculous. Rena Rouge's growing reluctance to be a superhero.

Ladybug's mouth fell open. "I had no idea she was going through such a hard time. I wish she had told me about it. I mean, I'm glad to know that she has your support, don't get me wrong. I just… I don't know. Maybe I would have been able to help her out somehow." She sighed and put her hand on Carapace's shoulder. "Thank you for telling me all of this. Do you think she'll want me to come visit?"

Carapace smiled. "I'll ask her. Right now she only really has one friend besides me who's kind of been there for her - well, for _us_. I don't know how helpful she's been with -" he gestured around "- all _this_, but… she's at least gotten her time out of the house for now and that's been good enough."

Ladybug made a mental note to check in on Alya as Ladybug, since all she had done as Marinette was irritate her accidentally.

"Elevator's fixed, thank you for your patience. Not that you'll need it to get down, anyway." The maintenance man chuckled and entered the elevator. "Have a nice night!"

Ladybug and Carapace thanked the man and waved as the doors closed.

"I'll see you around, Ladybug. I've gotta get back to the apartment; she's babysitting my little bro. I would have babysat, but the twins are too much for me alone. Throw Chris in there and it's handful city. I'd die. I don't know how she does it, Ladydude." He saluted and launched himself off the Tower.


	23. Better Late Than Never

Ladybug swung over to Alya's apartment to check on her. If Alya couldn't make it to Ladybug, then the least Ladybug could do was go to Alya. She landed on the building next to Alya's bedroom window and tapped on it.

She tried to keep her shocked face under control as Lila Rossi opened the window. Lila didn't move to let Ladybug in. "What brings you by, Ladybug?" The distaste in her voice was not disguised.

Ladybug returned the distaste. "I should be asking the same of you, Lila."

"No, you shouldn't. _I'm_ welcome here and came in through the front door. _You're_ trying to sneak in through the window. Now get lost, slimy bug." Lila's voice was venom in Ladybug's ears. Thankfully, the magical suit provided protection against venom. Mostly. If Ladybug's neck were uncovered, she would have felt the hair on it start to stand up.

"Is Alya here? I'd like to give her a scoop for the _Ladyblog_." Ladybug tried to peer around Lila to see if anyone else was in the bedroom.

Lila folded her arms. "No, she's not. And I'm the editor of the _Ladyblog_ now, so you can give _me_ the scoop."

"How do I know you're not lying?" Ladybug continued scanning the area for any sign of another person to talk to.

Lila stepped toward Ladybug, completely blocking her sightline into the room. "You'll have to trust me on this one, won't you?" She smiled sweetly and closed the window.

Well, that didn't go over well at all. Thankfully, Ladybug had a cover story for visiting Alya, otherwise Lila might have started asking questions. Too many questions. Too many of the wrong sort of questions.

Ladybug swung back to her house, barely missing splatting into a building along the way.

* * *

At 7:00 AM the next morning, an article appeared on the front page of the _Ladyblog_:

_**Exclusive Report: Rena Rouge Out of Miraculous Team**_

_In a secret conversation on the Eiffel Tower last night, Ladybug revealed to Carapace that Rena Rouge was no longer a superhero. Due to her ineffective performance at the last few battles - including the final battle where Gabriel Agreste was unmasked as Hawk Moth - and no-showing the subsequent battles, Rena Rouge has been stripped of her Miraculous._

"_Rena Rouge has wanted out of the superhero game for a long time," Carapace said. "Her heart really hasn't been in it lately."_

_It is unknown if there will be a "new" Rena Rouge the way there has been a "new", male Ladybug._

_Lord Bug and Chat Noir have not commented on this development._

* * *

Marinette was getting her books out of her locker when she overheard Alya talking loudly on her phone the next row over.

"I swear, Nora… that girl is going to be the death of me! I told her to please keep things to a fan site, and now she's publishing stuff like _this?!_ I mean, it's a total tabloid hit job. Well _no_ of course I wasn't there! And I don't know how she got the story, either, but I talked to my, um, contacts and they didn't notice her there either. No! I'm going to try to get her to take it down though. It's not in the spirit of the blog! What? No… no, you don't have to do that next time you see her. No! Heh, yeah… well, thanks for listening for me. I would have griped to Nino about this but Lila's babysitting for him tomorrow night and I didn't want to put him on the spot at the last minute. OK. You, too. Bye, girl!"

Marinette smiled. With everything going on with Alya, it was good to know that her big sister was looking after her.

* * *

Adrien went down to the restaurant to get dinner. He perused the menu and decided to order a cassoulet, which was in season this time of year. With it, he asked for a baguette, some roquefort, some butter, a salad, and yogurt.

Adrien's selections, along with two place settings, were assembled for him on a tray and wheeled out for him to take. When Marlèna Césaire saw who it was for, she insisted that a sous-chef bring it up to room 116 for Adrien. They walked together to the elevator, shadowed by the police officer assigned to protect Adrien that evening.

"You're Adrien Agreste, right?" The sous-chef was curious but polite.

Normally Adrien would deflect that question, but it was in his nature to be nice to people helping him. It wasn't like she was a random person who was accosting him on the street. "That's right. What's your name?"

"It's Samantha, Mr. Agreste." Samantha had an American accent.

"How long have you been in Paris?"

"I'm finishing up my training at Le Cordon Bleu; Chef was kind enough to let me work nights here for extra practice."

Adrien smiled. "Extra work, huh? You must really enjoy it, then."

"Oh, absolutely! It's been an interesting experience."

The elevator stopped and the doors opened. Adrien and Samantha stepped out of the elevator and bumped into Chloé and Sabrina.

"Oh, _there_ you are, Adri-kins. I was just coming to see if you wanted dinner. I see you have it already. A shame." She looked at Samantha and made a noise of disgust. "I can't believe you're letting _her_ help you with the food, Adri-kins. The kitchen always smells funny when she works in it, like burnt hair or something. Be sure to check your food to make sure it's not furry." She tossed her hair and entered the elevator, closely followed by Sabrina.

After the door closed, Adrien turned to Samantha. "I'm sorry, she's, um… not the greatest sometimes."

"It's OK, I'm used to her. That's actually mild considering how she came into the kitchen once and tried to boss everybody around like she owned the place. I know… technically, her _father_ owns the place, but Chef was having none of it. She threw her out of the kitchen so fast she looked like a yellow blur." Samantha chuckled. "I'm only here for another week as it is. I can take it. Here's your room, Mr. Agreste. Do you need help getting anything set up inside?"

"No thanks Samantha, I've got it from here. Thank you for your help!"

"It was my pleasure." She smiled. "Enjoy your dinner for two."

* * *

**Adrien finished setting up the dinner when he heard a small knock on the door. He walked over and opened it, and Marinette stood there with her backpack. "Come in! It's good to see you! I have a surprise for you."**

"A surprise!" Marinette's voice got high-pitched at the end of the word _surprise_, ending in a squeak.

Adrien found it endearing. Marinette was one of the more confident, self-assured people that he knew, but every now and then something bubbled out of her that betrayed her nervousness.

"Adrien, you didn't have to get me a _surprise_… I'm just coming by with the homework. Anybody would do that for you."

"Maybe anybody would do that for me, but you're the only one who has so far. Therefore, _you_ get the surprise, _Everyday Ladybug._" He gently took her by the elbow and led her to the table.

Marinette made another one of those squeak-type noises that he loved to hear.

He chuckled. "Please, have a seat." He pulled out one of the chairs at the table.

Marinette slung her backpack off of her shoulder and sat down, allowing Adrien to push her seat back in. "Thank you. This smells delicious!"

"Mrs. Césaire has a chef from Toulouse in town and they made their special cassoulet. I couldn't pass it up. And since I knew you were coming by, I thought a nice dinner would be in order." He poured Marinette a glass of water, then sat down at his side of the table and filled his bowl. "How have things been? People haven't really been in touch with me all that much."

"Not even Nino?" Marinette ladled some cassoulet into her bowl and started eating.

"Not even Nino. I guess Alya's been keeping him busy this past week or so. It's a shame, too. I hope she's doing OK, has she told you anything?"

Marinette must have hit a hot spot in the cassoulet, because she quickly suppressed a cough and brought her napkin to her face. She held up a finger and drank some water.

"Sorry, are you OK?"

Marinette nodded. "I'm fine, thanks. Just went down the wrong pipe, I guess. Alya hasn't told me anything, really... " She paused for another sip of water and looked off to the side. "I'm not sure what's going on with her, to be honest. She's my best friend and if she's closing people off that care about her, I can't see that ending well." She met Adrien's eyes, then looked down. "Sorry… I came over here to give you homework, and here I am rattling on about my friend when you've been cooped up in here for the past week."

"Marinette, it's _fine_. Everybody needs somebody to talk to about things, and I'm honored that I can be that person for you tonight. You know, Marinette… there's something about you that I can't quite put my finger on. Maybe that's something you can help me with."

Marinette started to squeak again, but turned it into a cough halfway through.

Adrien wasn't fooled. "You're one of the most amazing people I know. Talented, creative, friendly, helpful, loyal, confident… always out looking to do the right thing. Sure, you don't succeed all the time, but once you set your mind to something, I rarely see you fail at it."

"Wow, Adrien, thank you." Her face pinked slightly. "That means a lot to me coming from you."

"You're welcome, Marinette. But here's where I have a problem: you don't always seem to act that way around _me_ all the time. You're different. Still self-assured and confident, but… there seems to be an underlying concern that I just can't place. Almost as if… I intimidate you somehow? Did I get that right?"

Marinette dropped her spoon into the bowl with a loud _clank_.

"Oh shoot, is that it? Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! Marinette… I don't want to intimidate you. I want you to be as comfortable around me as you are around any of your friends. I… heh… I remember back at the picnic on Heroes Day… that's when I first called you _Everyday Ladybug_… and you kissed me!"

Marinette's face reddened again. "Did… did you like that?"

"Marinette, you were the first person who's ever kissed me like that… I remember how warm and soft your lips felt on my cheek… but I also remember how you looked at me right afterward… like you were afraid that you had done something wrong. I don't know if that's where it started, or what brought it on, but you don't have to be intimidated around me." He patted her on the hand. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"You didn't answer my question." She fidgeted with her napkin.

"You're right, I didn't."

"You didn't like it?!" Marinette squawked and pushed her chair away from the table.

"No, wait, Marinette! I meant that I didn't answer your question! I liked it! I really did! I'm shocked by you not doing it again, to be honest… I mean, I know you're dating Luka and all that, so I guess that's fair, but -"

"I am _not_ dating Luka! I mean, yes, he's very sweet, but I've been waiting for you for _how long_ now?" Marinette's eyes blew wide open and she clapped her hands over her mouth. Her eyes darted back to the hotel room door.

"What did you say?"

Adrien couldn't pick out exactly what Marinette was saying behind her hands but it sounded like "Oh man… oh… this is a disaster…"

He reached out and gently moved her hands away from her face. "_Marinette._ It's not a disaster, I promise. What did you say?"

"I said… I've been waiting for you for a while. Ever since you gave me that umbrella outside of the school. I've just been… _waiting_ for you to notice me. And I know you _did_ notice me! I mean, 'Everyday Ladybug', 'very good friend', right? But that's not how I _wanted_ to be noticed. I wanted you to, you know… _notice_ me."

Adrien blinked. _Oh._ Marinette wasn't _intimidated _by him, she _liked_ him. Like, _like_ liked him. He rubbed the back of his neck. If Marinette could _like_ like Adrien, could it be possible that Ladybug would ever _like_ like Adrien? Adrien liked Ladybug. He was carrying a torch for his Ladybug… not that she knew it, of course… she thought _Chat_ was the one with the torch. But Adrien was Chat… not that she knew it, of course. But he had never taken his shot for Ladybug _as Adrien_. It was always Chat who did that. Should he take his shot for Ladybug as _Adrien_, then?

He knew what Oldrien told him. Ladybug would eventually reveal herself to Adrien. Should he wait for that? It might take years… and with the changes to the timeline that have already happened, it could be _never_… she had already revealed herself to her parents. Why not him? He could have been Ladybug's support on both sides of the mask! He _should_ have been! That would make things a lot easier for both of them… but instead, she was insisting their identities remain a secret from each other and with whoever had the Butterfly and Fox running around, _that_ wasn't going to change any time soon.

This wasn't constructive - he wasn't supposed to be thinking about Ladybug right now. Here was Marinette openly admitting she carried an umbrella… no, a torch… for _Adrien_. Marinette, who was sweet, kind, gentle, caring… but also confident, assertive, and brave. _Just like his Ladybug._

But his Ladybug had never brought him his homework. His Ladybug hadn't rested her head on his shoulder while reading _Le Petit Prince_. Ladybug never sat next to him while he played piano, never shared a dinner with him, never went with him to the movies… and he wasn't sure if Ladybug even _did_ anything like that. If she did, it certainly wasn't as Ladybug. And he had never asked her to anything other than a romantic night on a rooftop… when she admitted that she was in love with someone else.

Marinette was watching Adrien closely, a tear trailing down her face. She was so beautiful. He didn't want her to be his rebound or consolation prize or someone that he settled for. But if Ladybug wasn't interested in him, it was foolish for him to keep carrying a torch for her. Even though he just told Ladybug he'd wait for her as long as it took... it would be _definitely_ foolish for him not to try and see where this would go with Marinette. She obviously felt something for him… and if he was being honest with himself, he felt something for her, too. How would this pan out?

How must Marinette have been feeling if she was carrying a torch for _him_ all this time and he didn't seem interested in her? Marinette must be just as lovesick as he has been for Ladybug. The poor girl! He didn't think they would ever talk about their mutual pining, but he could definitely relate to how she felt.

He walked over to Marinette and wiped the tear from her face. "Hey, don't cry… sorry… got lost in my own head for a bit. Let's… um… oh man. Where do I start? Let me start at the beginning. You're not intimidated by me, but… you're _in love_ with me?"

Marinette closed her eyes and bowed her head. Her shoulders were shaking. This was _not_ going well. He didn't want to make her cry _more_!

"Yes." Her voice was a whisper.

Adrien reached his arms around her and pulled her in for a tight hug. He wasn't used to dealing with emotion but he did know that a hug usually helped. He felt her arms eventually pull around his back and squeeze gently. When he felt her body relax, he moved out to face her. "Marinette… I like being with you. I enjoy all the little moments we get to spend together. I like you too, as a friend."

He felt Marinette tense again in his arms, and she looked down.

Adrien lifted her chin up gently. "But I'm starting to think I like you as _more_ than a friend, too. Consider yourself… _noticed._" He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. "How about we finish that dinner?"

Marinette smiled and let out a deep breath. "I'll be honest with you, Adrien… I'm not sure my feet are going to touch the ground anytime soon. I might not even be able to sit in that chair."

"Oh! Well then! Let me do something real quick!" He put the salad and yogurt in the mini-fridge, then came back. "Movie me? I mean, do you want to watch a movie with me?"

"I would love that, actually."

"Well, great. Let's see what's showing." He grabbed the TV remote and led Marinette over to the couch. "Are you in the mood for anything in particular?"

"Something funny, maybe?"

"Something funny it is, then." They sat down on the couch and started flipping through Netflix. This time, Marinette put her head on his shoulder without hesitating.

* * *

After the movie ended, Marinette and Adrien yawned and stretched.

"I need to get back to my house. My parents are probably wondering where I am so late, even though it's not a school night." She took him by the hands. "Thank you for a fantastic evening, Adrien."

"The pleasure was mine. We should do this again sometime. Soon."

"I'd like that."

"Sunday afternoon?"

"I think that will work. Sunday afternoon it is. Sorry we didn't get to finish dinner. Looks like you've got some yogurt, salad, and…" She hummed as she looked over the table. "I could have sworn you had cheese out here, too! Oh well, you drive me crazy. I mean, I'm crazy for you. I mean… I must be going crazy." She groaned and stood up.

Adrien chuckled. "You're cute."

Marinette squeaked, and Adrien laughed again.

"Sorry… I have to admit, you're pretty cute when you do that."

Marinette smiled. "Am I, now?"

"Or any time, really. Thanks again, I had a great time." He leaned forward and kissed Marinette on the cheek again.

"See you on Sunday, Adrien." She stood on her tiptoes and gently cupped Adrien's cheek, turning him to face her before giving him a soft kiss on the lips.


	24. It's Go Time

Adrien woke up to light streaming into the warehouse. He quickly got dressed in his track suit and mask, then left the warehouse and took the familiar maze through the alleys to the closest grocery. He quietly opened the back door and grabbed a newspaper from the top of a stack, then quickly filled his pockets with some fruit. It wasn't much, but he was used to living on not much these days.

Sneaking around came easily to him now, too. From his youthful days as Chat Noir to his less-youthful days as a refugee from Hawk Moth, he was learning tricks that would make his mother wonder just exactly what kind of child she had raised. He just had to remember for whom he was doing all of this.

He made his way back to the warehouse to eat his breakfast and read the newspaper. There was no movement on the trial of Gabriel Agreste, and the investigation had slowed down as well due to his father's reticence in sharing anything about his motives. Adrien would have time to go back to the mansion today, then. He was slowly unearthing the secrets that his father had hidden in there, and had been very close to cracking his father's password before the police had confiscated the computer in the atelier.

It was funny how going back in time changed so much. He hadn't accomplished much of his goal in coming back here, but the work he had done had changed the timeline so much as to render it nearly unrecognizable to him. He should have listened to Bunnyx when she warned him of Burrowing for too long of a time. Bunnyx had only survived the Burrow back to Ancient Egypt with her memories intact because she had used the Rabbit Miraculous to put herself into a stasis. Adrien didn't have that luxury.

"Two weeks?" she had said. "Why aren't you just going back to when Ladybug was akumatized and stopping that?"

Yes, he should have listened. As the proverbial and literal butterflies flapped their wings, changing the timeline, Adrien found his ability to recall what happened in the future getting fuzzier and fuzzier. Nevermind that he had died _twice_ since coming back here, which wasn't helping things along any. Each time he came back from the dead, his memories were more and more scrambled. What exactly _had_ happened? In what order? _When_? He knew his overarching mission for coming back… but how badly did the future change while he was gone? Would Marinette even _recognize_ him? What would be the same? What would be different?

Well, _one_ thing needed to be different by the time he got back to the future. And he needed to get started on that. He scooped the still-sleeping Tikki into his jacket pocket, grabbed a cookie from his stash, and took off again, taking a different route through the back alleys this time.

* * *

Marinette floated down the stairs from her room, much to the amusement of her parents, who were at the table eating breakfast.

"Looks like someone got up on the right side of bed," teased her father.

"Right side of bed? I'm surprised she even touched the bed, she was floating on cloud nine all night." Her mother winked at her. "Breakfast, honey? Ready to join the rest of us mortals down on the earth?"

"Ha ha, very funny, Mom. And yes, I would love breakfast." She poured herself a hot chocolate.

Her mother put some fruit on a plate for her and passed it over. Her father added a croissant to the plate.

"So, Marinette, your mother tells me that you had quite the night with Adrien last night."

"_Yes!_" Marinette squealed before quickly bringing herself back under control. "I was just going over there to bring him his homework, and he had a _very nice meal_ waiting for me… then we watched a movie, and _he kissed me!_" The squeal appeared again and Marinette didn't try to suppress it.

"That's great, honey!" Her mother beamed. "And you've been pining after the poor boy for so long! What changed his mind?"

"I'm not sure, to be honest… he always seemed distracted by someone else, but last night he _finally_ put two and two together about why I've been so nervous around him, and… _he noticed me!_"

Her mother clapped her hands. "That's great, dear. I couldn't be happier for you!"

"What about Chat Noir?" Tom interrupted. Her mother shot him a _very_ disapproving look.

Marinette choked on her hot chocolate and started coughing.

"What? It's a legitimate question. All of Paris knows that Chat Noir is in love with Ladybug… in fact, he _told us_ that one time he came over for Sunday breakfast! _Oh my gosh,_ you were _right there!_ He was _telling Ladybug to her face_ that he loved her and _didn't even know it!_ Oh, that poor boy! I'm going to have to make him some extra-special pastries or something the next time he's in the neighborhood."

Marinette regretted coming downstairs. No, she regretted waking up. No, she regretted _existing_ right now. Nothing was more mortifying than being embarrassed by her father. Unfortunately, he was an expert in it.

Her father pressed on. "You turned him down pretty hard that morning… well, we don't need to discuss how the rest of that day went. But _please_ tell me you're not planning on dating Adrien as Marinette and stringing Chat along as Ladybug. That wouldn't be fair to either of them."

"No, dad, I'm not. Chat knows how I feel about him. We're keeping it strictly professional. That's not to say that we're not growing closer at all, but there's nothing romantic there."

"Nothing?" Her mother raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing." Marinette hoped her voice was steady enough to ward off any further questioning.

* * *

The morning passed without incident… at least, not that Marinette would have noticed. The building could have collapsed around her and she probably wouldn't have even remarked on it. She spent most of the day safe in her pink bubble, remembering the feeling of Adrien's lips on hers and the words that he told her last night echoing in her mind.

"Consider yourself _noticed_, Marinette…"

Now all he had to do was come back to school and she could make it official with her friends. Alya had noticed that something was up and halfheartedly tried to pry it out of her, but Marinette wasn't budging. Besides, if Marinette told Alya, she was pretty sure that her eyes would bug out of her head and Adrien deserved to see that as much as anyone else did. Chloe's eyes would pop out, too. Lila would probably combust on the spot. Come to think of it… Lila bursting into flames would be worth it. Monday couldn't come fast enough.

* * *

Just before lunch, Marinette took a quick walk around the neighborhood to clear her mind and get herself in a place where she could work on designs. She entered the bakery and was immediately accosted by her mother. "_There_ you are, Marinette! You left your phone here and it's been going off nonstop for the past five minutes! Did you get a new phone case or something? This doesn't look familiar." She frowned and held out the phone to Marinette.

Marinette took it and rolled her eyes. "Oh! That's… um… _not_ my everyday phone." She made sure the bakery was empty, then continued in a low voice. "Chat got me this phone so we can stay in touch out of costume. I must have forgotten it. Usually it's in my purse on silent in case of emergency. But he also made me some playlists to listen to and the one he made to help me sleep is _fantastic._ I can't get enough of it!"

Sabine put her hands on her hips and leaned towards her daughter. "Are you _sure_ there's nothing going on between you two?"

"_Positive_, mom…" Marinette huffed and read through the messages. Chat wanted to meet up with her on the Eiffel Tower as soon as possible. Apparently he had some important information to share with her. Information about the Butterfly? That would be great. She sent him a message letting him know that she was available and put the phone in her purse. "Thanks for bringing it to me. I need to go meet him now."

"Be home in time for dinner, sweetie." Her mother patted her on top of her head and smiled. "You know… have you considered maybe something a little more flattering to catch his eye?"

"_MOM!_ I _just_ had a _major development_ with Adrien and you're telling me to _flirt with Chat Noir?_" She ran her hand down her face. "Besides, all I have to do is _exist_ to catch his eye. He's got it pretty bad."

Sabine chuckled. "Relax, Marinette, I'm just teasing. Go have fun and stay safe. See you later!"

* * *

Nino answered the knock on his apartment door. "Thanks for coming over and watching Chris, Lila. I appreciate it. I'm going to surprise Alya with an afternoon on the town to help cheer her up and get her mind off of… things that have been happening recently. Nora is watching the twins. Mom will be home around six."

"It's no problem, Nino. Chris loves me and we all know it. Have fun!"

Nino waved and closed the door behind him as he left.

"Chris! Auntie Lila is here! Want to play a game?"

"AUNTIE LILA!" Chris zoomed around the corner and into Lila's arms. "A game! Yay, I'd love that! What are we going to play?"

Lila reached into her backpack and pulled out a jar. "I think you'll like this one… it's a magic trick. But first, I need to know… can you keep a special secret for Auntie Lila?"

Chris stared at the contents of the jar and nodded vigorously.

* * *

They reached out and _felt_.

Two targets. Passionate. A quarrel? A lover's spat? It didn't matter.

All that mattered were the _feelings_.

"Give someone superpowers and make them your devoted follower," Nooroo had said. The more powerful the emotions, the more powerful the follower. Or _followers_, in this case.

They sent out two butterflies. One for Ladybug, and one for Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

They reached out again and guided the butterflies toward their targets. The brooch at their neck chirped. Four minutes left - plenty of time to do what they needed.

The first akuma reached its target, and a mental door was opened.

_Hello… remember me? It would be a shame to waste all of these negative emotions. You feel wronged, don't you? Remember the last time you were truly powerful? You had powers… I can give you the opportunity to have those powers again. Power, yes… you feel powerless now. You will never feel powerless again. Yes… excellent._ They concentrated, imbuing magic into their target through the butterfly.

Another chirp from the brooch.

The second akuma struck, and another mental door was opened.

_Hello again… no, hear me out! You do not want to resist me. You can be… useful. Wasn't that your biggest fear, deep down? That you're not useful? We can both get what we want. You can get revenge on Ladybug, and I can get rid of Dupain-Cheng. No? You don't want that? Maybe your friend can convince you otherwise…_

They turned their attention to the first door. _Pain._

Back to the second door. _You wouldn't want to hurt your friend now, would you? See how they suffer for you? All because you're not making the easy choice and going along with me. I already have them in my clutches, and I have you in my clutches too… you just refuse to see it. Shall I do it again?_

They coursed psychic pain through the first victim again. Careful - damaging an akuma before it had a chance to do anything _fun_ wouldn't be very smart.

_What do you say now? It's your fault that they're like this. Your argument left them wide open for my akuma. Now, your stubbornness is bringing them pain. You accept? Excellent. People always come around to me in the end._

_Both of you… go to the Tour Montparnasse and wait. Ladybug and Chat Noir will be there shortly. When they get there, tell them that _Mariposa _sent you..._

* * *

Black-and-purple magic boiled over two people.

* * *

"Hey, Bug! Glad you could make it." Chat had his baton wedged between two girders and was doing aerobatics.

"Sorry I didn't get back to you earlier, Kitty. I kind of left my phone at home."

"Oh no! Well, you're here now, and I can't complain about that. Is everything OK?"

"Yeah, everything's fine. Now… spill it. What did you need to meet me for?"

"After we met on the Tour Montparnasse on Thursday, I kind of ran into, um… Mister Bug. He said he had something important for me to tell you."

Ladybug folded her arms. "Oh, _did_ he now?"

"Hey… he told me you were mad at him and… he's sorry. He'll make it up to you."

Staying mad at Mister Bug was going to be difficult if she was going to be dating present-day Adrien. Just another of the many ways that he had an effect on her. "What did he have to say?"

"He told me that he figured out that you two are linked."

Ladybug looked skeptical. "Linked? How so?"

"Well, when you transform, he transforms. When you call for Lucky Charm, he gets one too. Something about having two Ladybug Miraculous in the same timeline or something like that. It's how he always knows what you're up to: Tikki tells him. Not on purpose, though! When one Tikki talks, so does the other one. It sounds like she's… split or something? I'm not sure exactly. Anyway… he, uh, wanted me to tell you that."

"Is there anything _else_ that he wanted you to tell me?"

"Well, he _did_ mention that you and I get together in the future…" Ladybug made a face. "Relax, I'm just kidding. Kind of. Hey… about that. I know we talked about me carrying a torch for you and everything last time… but, um… I kind of maybe have a girlfriend as of last night."

"You _do?" _Ladybug's mouth dropped open. "Chat… I don't know what to say! That's… really great. I'm happy for you." And a little relieved, but she couldn't say that.

"...Are you sure? I mean, it seemed like we were making headway and everything and coming to an understanding, and then here I am all of a sudden right afterwards just… yeah. I wish… oh man… she's just amazing. As amazing as you are. And I'm not settling for her and if she were here right now I wouldn't want her to feel like she was second-best, because she's not. It's just… you know… if you're not interested in me in _that way_ and she is? Why shouldn't I?"

He was making kitten eyes at her. _Really? Kitten eyes?_ Not that she could be mad at _him _very long, either. "_Chat._ It's OK. Really, it is." She chuckled. "To be honest… the boy I've been pining after forever actually noticed me last night." She fought hard to keep the squeal out of her voice. This was _Chat_, after all, and she didn't want to be insensitive… even though he was apparently taken.

"Really? Well, I guess you can say that we're both lucky in love recently. I'm happy for you. You'll have to tell me about him one of these days."

"I'd like that."

* * *

Lila screwed the top back onto the jar. "Did you like the game, Chris?"

"It was _fun_, Auntie Lila! You made _two butterflies_ disappear! All in the blink of an eye! I like your magician costume, too! Can we do it again?"

"Maybe. This will have to be our little secret, though, OK? You want Auntie Lila to keep babysitting you, right?"

Chris nodded.

"Great! How about some ice cream? Let me just do this one thing first…" She put her jar in her backpack, then pulled out her phone and tapped away at the keyboard.

* * *

"I won't tell you anything until after we get this thing with the Butterfly fixed, though. You know that, right?" Ladybug poked Chat in the shoulder.

"I know, Bug."

Ladybug's yo-yo chirped at the same time as Chat's baton. He opened it and read the message. "There's an Akuma alert on the _Ladyblog_. Perfect timing, Butterfly. Perfect timing. Sheesh. Tour Montparnasse. Race you there?"


	25. The Fight of a Lifetime (Part One)

Ladybug arrived at the door of Tour Montparnasse a split-second after Chat Noir.

"Looks like I beat you by a _whisker_, my Lady." Chat Noir grinned.

"Not now, Kitty!" Ladybug rolled her eyes. "Let's figure out what we're up against first, then we can start with the jokes! Last time we were here, your jokes…" She stopped short. Chat Noir knew very well what happened here the last time they were fighting an akuma at this particular building.

"You're right, Bug. Sorry." Chat stowed his baton. "Do we start on the ground floor or on the roof?"

"That's a good question. Our fights here seem to finish on the roof, so maybe we should go right there? But maybe they're thinking ahead and expecting us up there to start and are hiding in the building waiting for us to come down from the roof. If we come in from the bottom, we could get a jump on them!"

"Sound reasoning, my Lady. Elevator or stairs?"

"It's going to have to be the stairs, Kitty. Element of surprise."

"Fair enough." He ran in place, bringing his knees up to his chin as he did. "I'm ready when you are!"

They entered the building.

* * *

The security guard looked up from their desk as the heroes entered the building. "Ladybug, Chat Noir… to what do we owe the pleasure?"

"There's an akuma here, ma'am," Ladybug replied. She looked at Chat. "Ordinarily I'd have her sound the alarm, but we were thinking about the element of surprise." She hummed and looked back at the guard. "Can you tell us how many people are in the building right now, please?"

"An Akuma? That's strange, I haven't heard the app go off, It's Saturday, there shouldn't be that many people here, so hopefully this goes smoothly for you. I'll hold the fort down here and let anybody that comes in know the building's not safe until you give the all-clear. Good luck."

Chat bowed. "Thank you, ma'am."

The guard buzzed them past the lobby into the ground floor offices area, and they went through the doors.

A purple butterfly flew past them, out the doors, and into the lobby.

Ladybug whirled around. "Crap! Chat, keep the door open so we don't get locked out. I'll just snag the butterfly real quick…" She took off running after the butterfly, but when she rounded the corner, both the butterfly and security guard were gone. "Crap! Where did they go?" She ran over and looked at the security monitors on the desk for any clues, but they cycled through images of empty hallways, save for the one of Chat holding the doors open.

She ran back to the doors.

"That was fast, my Lady." Chat bowed and held the door open for her.

"Too fast… the butterfly and security guard were gone. I imagine we'll encounter them again later." She tapped her chin. "Although… why was there an akuma _alert_ here if we just saw a butterfly? Something's not adding up."

"If anybody can figure it out, my Lady, you can. Come on, let's sweep the building." He took his baton out and held it at the ready. "After you, Bug."

They proceeded through the ground floor, finding nothing out of the ordinary. The first five floors above them had largely the same result, although Ladybug did startle a maintenance worker in the ladies' room on the third floor. She sheepishly backed out and apologized, face reddening to match her suit.

On the sixth floor, they noticed smoke pouring into the stairwell from the door. "That's not good." Chat frowned and grabbed a fire extinguisher from the wall next to the door. He pulled the pin and stood at the ready. Ladybug opened the door and Chat blasted the corridor with the extinguisher, filling the air with white mist. The smoke dissipated immediately.

"Good work, Chat Noir! Let's see if anybody was hurt and needs help!" She sprinted around the floor and found nothing.

When she met back up with Chat, he was frowning again. "I don't like this, Bug. Not one bit. Something's very fishy here."

"It's Saturday, Chat… there's bound to be not a lot of people here. The guard said so herself."

"It's not just that, Bug… if there was a fire, _why isn't the fire alarm going off?_ I don't know what's going on, but this isn't normal. We need to figure this out quickly."

"That's a good point. We can only go one floor at a time, though… unless we split up?"

"Splitting up probably isn't the best idea. Let's just hope we get through with this, and _fast_… I've got a bad feeling about this."

"We'll make it through, Kitty." She reached out and rubbed a circle on his back.

"I thought I was supposed to be the one giving _you_ the pep talks!" Chat grinned.

Ladybug dropped her hand to her side. "You're right. You've earned this one, though, Chat. You ready to get to the next floor?"

* * *

"We need to find out where that butterfly disappeared to, Chat."

"There's been nothing on the past few floors… just… _nothing_. We've still got a long way to go to get to the top." Chat stretched. "Lucky floor thirteen… want me to go first this time?"

"Well, you've always been the _odd_ one, Kitty."

"And you're the one on the _even _keel, my Lady."

Ladybug rolled her eyes. There was just no out-punning Chat Noir when he was in one of his playful moods - which was always, really. Why did she even bother? "You take this one, I'll take the next one. It's only fair."

Chat Noir took out his baton and readied it. He opened the door, then immediately slammed it.

"Kitty? What's the matter?"

"Look for yourself." He opened the door.

Purple butterflies. At _least_ fifty of them. Fluttering about as if the thirteenth floor were their own butterfly garden. Ladybug growled and unhooked her yo-yo, opening it up to capture the butterflies. "We've gotta do this quickly. Who knows what on earth is going on here… and what we're going to be facing as we go up through the tower. I don't like our odds fifty-on-two, do you?"

"I'd take on the world with you, Bug… but I'm not going to say no to giving ourselves better chances along the way."

Ladybug swung her yo-yo and stepped into the corridor. She extended and retracted her yo-yo, purple butterflies disappearing as they came into contact with it.

Ladybug and Chat prowled the hallway, weapons at the ready. When they spotted a butterfly, Ladybug would strike it with her yo-yo. After they circled the floor and checked in every office, closet, and hidden space, they re-entered the stairwell.

"Are you going to release the butterflies?" Chat asked, gesturing toward her re-holstered yo-yo.

"No, I'm not. At this point, until we know what we're up against, giving _more _butterflies to… to… whoever probably isn't the smartest move. Either they wind up with a ton of extra butterflies to weaponize, or they realize we're on the way to defeat them, or both. I'd rather have as much of the element of surprise as possible."

"I'll follow your lead, my Lady. Let's get to the next floor."

They went up the stairs.

* * *

The next six floors were clear. On the 20th floor, Ladybug entered first and began sweeping the level per the routine they had developed. She poked her head into a meeting room and was surprised to find a group of five people seated around a conference table. "Oh! Sorry, just doing a routine security patrol. There's evidence of an akuma in this building; you need to evacuate, please."

"Thank you for the warning, Ladybug." The person chairing the meeting stood up, and the rest around the table stood as well. They began to file out of the conference room when an electric panel in one of the walls started sparking, causing a small fire to break out.

"Chat! Can you run and get a fire extinguisher, please?"

"On it, my Lady!" He disappeared around the corner.

"Seriously, this is the second fire we've encountered already, and we're not even halfway up the building yet! Sorry, we'll get this taken care of so you can get to safety."

Chat reappeared with a fire extinguisher. He aimed it at the fire, pulled the handle, and nothing happened. "Crap! This one must be broken. I'll get another one."

Before he could take off, the fire disappeared.

"Well, that's odd. An illusion, maybe? Spontaneous fire suppression?"

One of the meeting attendees spoke up. "It looks safe to pass, in any rate. Come on!" He ran forward toward the elevators, with the others not far behind. When they passed the electrical panel, they burst into flames, fell to the ground, and started screaming.

Ladybug experienced the dizzying sensation of her stomach dropping coupled with all the blood in her body rushing to her head. She joined in the screaming. "It was an illusion! The fire wasn't, but having it put out _was! Chat!"_

They attempted to reach the people, but heat drove them away. After a few seconds, the fire faded… as did the people it was burning.

"Wait… what happened?" Ladybug swore. "Something's going on, and I don't like it." Illusion or no, the screams of the people on fire weren't going to leave her head anytime soon. She hugged herself tightly.

Chat carefully stepped forward to where the people had been. "Hmm… it's not hot over here… in fact, there's no discernable temperature change at all. No burn marks, no ashes… _nothing_. We need to keep alert… there's no telling what's in store for us at this rate." He put his hand on her shoulder. "Do you need a break? You look like that got you pretty hard."

Ladybug shook her head. "I'm fine, Chat." She squared her shoulders. "Whatever - or _whoever_ \- is waiting for us, we need to get them soon. Let's go." She turned and went back into the stairwell.

* * *

"Floor 23. Your turn, Chat." Ladybug stretched. There had been nothing in the succeeding floors since the fire illusion, and she felt her nerves start to singe as a result.

Chat opened the door, took a careful look down both sides of the corridor, and beckoned for Ladybug to follow. "Nothing off the bat… want to do this together or circle around?"

"Let's circle around. The sooner we clear the building, the better. I'm almost starting to think we should split up - it would take us half the time." She took off to the left, checking closets and offices along the way. Other akumas were always _obvious_, _attention-getting_ creations. This one was… _subtle._ Why was that? If they wanted the Miraculous, why didn't they just come and take them? Chasing an akuma through a 56-story building floor-by-floor was exhausting. The suits increased their physical stamina, but mentally… Ladybug was just about done. And they weren't even halfway through the building yet!

She rounded the second corner and froze. A giant, semi-transparent, bluish-green bubble was floating down the hall towards her. _The Bubbler?_ "Chat! We have a situation!"

He came bursting around the far corner of the hallway and immediately unholstered his baton and flung it overhand at the bubble. It burst as the baton passed through it, and Ladybug caught the baton.

Was that the only illusion? Did you see anything else?"

Ladybug shook her head and passed the baton back to her partner. "Nothing. You?"

"Nothing from me, Bug. Let's get to the next floor."

* * *

The obvious evidence of an akuma was wearing on Ladybug's mind as they searched through the building. She shook her head for what must have been the hundredth time to try and gather her thoughts. When they reached the 28th floor, Chat paused. "This is your floor, but… maybe we can start together? Say, near the restrooms?"

Ladybug rolled her eyes and poked Chat in the side. "Gotta visit the litter pan, huh? That's fine. I'll wait for you outside."

"Thanks, Bug!" He ran through the door and down the hall.

Ladybug strolled after him and took up a post outside the men's room door. She amused herself in the meantime by doing yo-yo tricks - her _Man on the Flying Trapeze_ was getting world-class.

"Bug, you gotta come in here and see this!"

"_Chat Noir_, I am _not_ going into the bathroom and looking at _anything_ you have to show me. That's gross."

A sound of running water came from the bathroom. Chat emerged, adjusting the bell on his costume. "No, that's not what I meant! Look, you can see it from here." He held the door open for her.

She cautiously peered in - was this Chat's idea of a funny joke? _Boys._ She gasped as she saw what Chat was referring to: large neon pink globs in the corner of the room, above the sink. So, Horrificator was here? That wouldn't explain the fire illusions, though… unless…

"I would have let you know when I got in here, but I didn't see them until a few minutes afterwards. Sorry."

"It's OK, Kitty. Do you remember the words to _Smelly Wolf?"_

"Not at all, but if you hum a few bars I can fake it!"

"That might not be important. I'm starting to figure out what's going on here. I think we're just dealing with _illusions_… I bet if I opened my yo-yo right now, no purified butterflies would fly out. The people in the conference room? All fake."

Chat Noir gave her a knowing nod. "The Fox Miraculous."

"Exactly. Watch." She wound up her yo-yo and flung it at one of the pink globs. As soon as the yo-yo made contact, they all disappeared.

"Smart thinking, my Lady. So we just need to look out for the Fox then."

"And not trust _anything _we see along the way." Especially since there was someone along the way casting illusions - toying with them - playing the cruelest of jokes. She raised her hand tentatively and poked her partner in the shoulder.

"What was _that_ for?"

"Just making sure you're not an illusion, Kitty. Sorry." Ladybug flushed and moved her foot on the floor.

"I'm as real as it gets, my Lady. Now that we know what we're looking for, this should be pretty easy."

"The only problem is… the Fox doesn't have to be nearby to cast the illusion. What if they're in another building, watching us go from floor-to-floor making idiots of ourselves?"

"I'd be OK if that were all it is… but I have a feeling that it's not. Let's find our way to the Fox and get it back."

* * *

The rest of the floor revealed nothing, as Ladybug expected. She zoomed up the stairs and cased the next few floors with Chat barely keeping up with her.

"Shouldn't we be more careful, my Lady?"

"No, everything we come into contact with is going to be an illusion. You'll see. We just have to find the Fox. Anything else we come across isn't worth it. Just a quick sweep to make sure there aren't any people here, or that the Fox isn't masquerading as someone else, and on to the next floor. Come on, race you!" She sped off into the stairwell and took the stairs two-at-a-time.

* * *

"How many floors in a row is this?" Ladybug asked.

"Fourteen, if I counted right." Chat came up behind her on the stairs. "We're almost there." He pointed toward the sign reading "42" on the wall next to the door to the corridor. "Just fourteen more floors after this. Piece of cake."

Ladybug groaned. "I could go for a piece of cake right now."

"Are you offering? I'll take you up on it if you are."

"Ha ha, Chat. C'mon." She opened the door and stepped into the hallway, Chat at her side. Looking over her left shoulder, she saw a pair of lips fluttering toward her. She grabbed Chat and dropped down to the floor, pulling him down next to her.. "Zombizou!" she hissed. "Are you OK, Kitty?"

"Kiss-oo," sang Chat, smiling wide enough that the corners of his mouth seemed to touch his ears.

"Nice try, Kitty. The last time Zombizou hit you, your eyes changed color. Better luck next time, OK?" She pushed him away by his nose. "Or do I need to tell your girlfriend that you're trying to smooch me?"

"Me-_ouch_, Bugaboo. That's low. I would _never_ do that to you. Say, when do I get to meet your boyfriend, anyway?"

"Be serious, Chat." She wound up her yo-yo and struck the floating lips, causing them to disappear.

"I am being serious! You're important to me and I want to make sure you're… well, you know… getting taken care of. That you won't get hurt or anything."

"Are you seriously trying to big brother me right now?"

Chat's response came barely after Ladybug finished her sentence. "Do you have one?"

"_Chat Noir._"

"Sorry, sorry… I just… I care, you know?" He looked away and started fiddling with his tail.

"I know, Kitty. And you're being very sweet right now. I'll let you know if I need you to intimidate anybody." She stood up and offered her hand. "Now let's get up and finish up this building!"

* * *

**On the 55th floor, Ladybug stopped suddenly halfway down the corridor, causing Chat to crash into her from behind.**

"Bug? What's the matter? Did you see something?" He peeked over her shoulder to get her perspective.

"Troublemaker. Going into the ceiling."

"Are you sure it wasn't just an illusion?"

"I mean… of course it was, right?" Her voice wasn't as confident as she hoped it was. Clearly Chat wasn't convinced.

"You said going into the ceiling, right? Let's check on the next floor for her."

"OK… stay close, Kitty. Besides Dark Owl, she came the closest to getting both of my earrings off… I thought I was going to detransform in front of you, remember?"

Chat Noir's face broke into a huge smile. "How could I forget? That was almost the best day of my life!"

Ladybug backhanded him playfully on the shoulder. "Silly Kitty. Let's get to the next floor and see what's in store for us!"

* * *

They raced upstairs and yanked open the door. "We saw her go this way! Let me take the lead, my Lady." Chat took off in the direction Ladybug had seen Troublemaker.

Ladybug shook her head and followed him. It was nice that he wanted to protect her, but Troublemaker - if there really _was_ Troublemaker - could get his ring just as easily as she got her earring.

She rounded the corner after Chat, who dove out of the way as a green akuma on a flying motorcycle rounded the corner and fired black candies at him.

"Befana, Ladybug! Look out!"

Ladybug didn't move. Whoever was behind this clearly didn't do their homework. Gina Dupain was vacationing in South America right now. Not that she could tell Chat Noir that. She watched the candies hit her in the shoulder and disappear. "It's an illusion, Kitty. See?" She wound up her yo-yo and cast it toward Befana, who dissolved upon contact.

"I don't get it… how did you _know?_"

Ladybug shrugged her shoulders. "I can't tell you. Call it Ladybug Intuition."

"Ah yes, the same thing that helps you figure out what to do with your Lucky Charms. I should have known!"

"C'mon, Kitty." She helped him off of the ground. "Next stop: the roof!"

* * *

The two heroes burst through the door of the rooftop and saw a familiar orange figure standing on the ledge of the tower.

"Volpina!" Ladybug called out. "You've been responsible for all of this, haven't you?"

"Not _all_ of this, I assure you. But enough to keep me mildly entertained. You two sure took your time coming up here, didn't you? This poor person has been hanging around forever waiting for you!" She dusted her feet near the edge. It looked like someone was hanging over the ledge - only the tips of their fingers were visible.

"Let her go, Volpina!" Chat unsheathed his baton and extended it.

"If you insist!" She ran her feet along the ledge again and the person's hands disappeared. A scream came from the side of the building.

Ladybug's voice was venom. "It's an _illusion_, Volpina!"

Volpina idly fingered her necklace. "_Is_ it? The person screaming doesn't seem to think so."

Ladybug balled up her fists. It _had_ to be an illusion. Lila Rossi may be a scheming, lying fraud… but she wasn't a killer. Right?

_Right?_

She couldn't wait any longer. If that were a real person, Ladybug didn't want to be responsible for guessing incorrectly. "Catch, Kitty!" Ladybug tossed him her yo-yo and dove over the side of the building. The string played out between his hands as Ladybug swung toward the falling… _security guard._ So that's where she went. That first akuma that chased the security guard must have been an illusion, and Volpina kidnapped the security guard and brought her up here. That lying, scheming, kidnapping, conniving…

Ladybug caught the security guard, who vanished into thin air.

* * *

Volpina ran up behind Chat Noir and hit him over the head with her flute. He dropped the yo-yo, and it slid over the ledge, disappearing over the side.

"That was almost _too_ easy. Here, kitty, kitty…" She walked over to a dazed and fallen Chat Noir and stood on his right wrist, then squatted down and started pulling at his ring.

* * *

Ladybug felt her yo-yo string go slack and she went careening wildly through the air. She yanked on the string, calling the yo-yo back to her. In desperation, she cast it toward the nearest tall building, then swung around and landed on its roof. She caught her breath and looked to the top of the Tour Montparnasse - barely visible at this distance. It was going to take more work and more time than she wanted to get back to Chat, who was all alone on top of the Tour with Volpina. She cast her yo-yo towards the Tour and swung off the roof.

When she arrived, Volpina was kneeling over Chat Noir. Ladybug threw her yo-yo overhand at her, knocking Volpina in the side of the head and off of her partner. She squeezed his hand to make sure he was the real thing. "Chat, are you OK?"

"I'm fine." He sounded a bit groggy and not fine at all, but Ladybug let it slide for the time being. She had to focus on Volpina. As much of a pain as Lila was, Lila as an _akuma _was even worse.

A red-and-black blur swung into view. Mister Bug landed on the roof next to Ladybug and said, "What do we have here?"

"_Another _illusion? Nice try, Volpina!" Ladybug yelled, and swung her fist at Mister Bug without looking.

It connected with his nose with a loud _thwack_, and Ladybug froze in place, eyes wide.

"Uh, thanks, Ladybug… it's nice to see you too? So, we're even now, yes? Because if you want to talk things out, now's _probably_ not the time." He made an exaggerated show of adjusting his nose back into place.

"OhmygoshI'mso_sorry_!" Ladybug squeaked. Mister Bug may be annoying and a tease, but he was also the future version of Ladybug's _boyfriend_, and she'd rather not wreck his perfect face.

"It's almost like I don't even need to _be_ here." Volpina spoke in that sickeningly sweet tone that Ladybug had come to know and hate. "Watching you two fight is almost as fun as me causing it. _Almost_. Catch me if you dare, bugs." She played her flute and at least fifty Volpinas appeared on the roof and started running around.

If Ladybug had any idea which one was Volpina, it was gone in a sea of fox ears, tails, and bad hair. She readied her yo-yo to cast it in a wide arc and dispel at least _some_ of the fake Volpinas. A yell came from behind her. _Mister Bug?_

No, it was _Chat_. A pinkish-white figure in a black bodysuit with spiked pink hair was standing over him, holding a staff. Green paw prints adorned her costume.

"_Chat!_ Hang on, it's only an illusion! It _has_ to be!"

Chat stood up and brandished his baton at Miraculer.

"Am I?" Miraculer asked. "_Cataclysm!_" The tip of her staff started bubbling, and she touched Chat Noir with it, and he screamed and fell to one knee, sagging.

Miraculer picked Chat's limp body up and set him on the edge of the building.

"It's an illusion… it has to be…" Ladybug whimpered.

Miraculer touched Chat in the head with her bubbling staff, and he fell over the side of the building.

Ladybug froze. Mister Bug was tied up with Volpina. Miraculer was staring over the side of the building, twirling her staff. And Chat Noir… _damn it_, why couldn't she get her legs to work? Her body was refusing to cooperate as her brain short-circuited on options.

A faint _thud_ came from below.

Ladybug swore again and cast her yo-yo at Miraculer, tying her up. _Crap… she didn't disappear! That was the real thing, and… Chat!_ "Mister Bug! Quick, cast Lucky Charm while I have her tied up!"

Mister Bug looked pained as he tried to do Lucky Charm. "Ladybug, we have a problem here!"

"What? Just do it!" There was a small note of panic in Ladybug's voice that she didn't bother disguising. She couldn't believe her eyes — Mister Bug was starting to fade away. "What's going on? Is this some sort of time thing? Are you getting called back to the future or something?" The note of panic swelled to an entire symphony.

"It _is_ some sort of time thing, Bug," Mister Bug said. "But I don't think it's that. I think that I — I mean 2019 me — just died." He grew more transparent and his voice started to fade away.


	26. The Fight of a Lifetime (Part Two)

"I think that 2019 me just died." Mister Bug's voice was quiet and shaky, and he had faded to the point of near-translucence.

Ladybug froze as her thoughts raced. _Think_, _Ladybug! What happens to one Miraculous in this timeline happens to another... so if Mister Bug fades away, then my Miraculous would be powerless, right? Or... maybe it wouldn't matter, because then there would still be a working Ladybug Miraculous in this time. Honestly, there's no harm in trying! Adrien's life is at stake here!_

"Lucky Charm!" Ladybug called out. To her relief, a red-and-black spotted stopwatch fell into her hand. She was about to throw it in the air for her cure when something stopped her. What if she clicked the stopwatch? What would happen? There was already a countdown going on — her earrings would remind her of that any second now.

_Click_. She pressed the stopwatch, and the world went quiet. Mister Bug, Miraculer, and Volpina were all frozen in place. Ladybug took a tentative step toward Mister Bug, who didn't react. _The Lucky Charm must have frozen time for everyone except me_. _I'll have to make this quick — I don't know if this froze my timer or not, but I have a lot of work to do now._

She walked over to where she had last seen Chat, looked over the edge, and swallowed hard. Ladybug secured her yo-yo around a vent and lowered herself down to street-level, where Chat was. He was motionless too - but that was because of the stopwatch, right? Not because of… she shuddered and carefully picked his rigid body up, then pulled on her yo-yo string to rewind it. She set him down on the roof, concealed behind the entry to the stairwell.

She went over to Volpina and attempted to pull her necklace off. It wouldn't budge. So... clothing and other objects couldn't move. The Miraculous could only be damaged by Cataclysm, which was... out of commission right now. Ladybug would have to play this very carefully. She ran to Miraculer and scanned her for a possible akumatized object. Last time it was her staff... would she be lucky enough to have it be the same thing this time? She attempted to snap the staff over her knee, but it wouldn't break. Anything else, then... a ring? Earrings? A necklace?

When Sabrina was akumatized into Vanisher on Heroes Day, her object was her glasses. What would her glasses have turned into? _This is probably going to hurt._ She wound up her yo-yo and flung it at Miraculer's mask, which shattered on Miraculer's face. That _must _have been where the akuma was hiding! She dragged Volpina and Miraculer next to each other, then hid Mister Bug in the stairwell leading from the roof. She tenderly cupped his faded cheek. _Don't worry, Adrien... I'll get you back. I hope._

She readied her yo-yo and took aim, ready to capture the butterfly as it flew away... or moved to infect someone again. She threw the stopwatch into the air. "Miraculous Ladybug!" she called, as the stopwatch burst into swarms of magical ladybugs. Volpina and Miraculer fell to the ground. Miraculer screamed and grabbed her shattered mask as a black-and-purple butterfly flew away from it, leaving Sabrina Raincomprix in her place. Ladybug captured the akuma, then reached down and grabbed the necklace off of Volpina.

She didn't detransform. _Crap. _This meant that Volpina didn't have the Fox Miraculous… and that her akumatized object was something else. Ladybug picked Sabrina up and ran to the stairwell to check on Mister Bug - Volpina would have to wait. _Please please please…_

Mister Bug sat in the stairwell, holding his side. He lurched forward suddenly and vomited.

"Are you OK, Mister Bug?" She set a very incoherent Sabrina down on a lower flight and returned to his side, careful not to step in his mess.

Mister Bug squinted and shook his head. "Where am I? Where are _we_? _When_ are we?"

Ladybug frowned. This wasn't good. Was all of this a side effect of him being restored by the Cure? Would he be himself again? Best to start with the simple things. "We're on top of Tour Montparnasse in 2019, fighting Volpina and Miraculer. We beat Miraculer but still need to beat Volpina. Do you remember any of that?"

"You're… you're…" He gestured to her groggily and looked her up and down. "Ma… my Lady. And I'm A… A really big fan. Dressed like you. I have your Miraculous?"

_My Lady? _Loud alarm bells went off in Ladybug's head. _Very_ loud alarm bells. She nervously looked over to Sabrina, who was holding her head.

"We're both Ladybugs right now… but you're Mister Bug."

"Mister Bug." He giggled. "Did I do what I needed to do yet?"

"You've stopped me from being akumatized at least once, yes. You've helped me in battle, too."

"No… something else. The Butterfly…"

"We stopped the Butterfly, but haven't found out who the new Butterfly is yet. Do you know?"

"Father… the mansion… need to get to the mansion. Work to do…"

This was new. Why would Adrien need to get back the mansion? _What _work? Right now, she had bigger fish to fry - like trying to figure out what was up with Volpina, who was hopefully still out on the roof and not somewhere else in Paris wreaking more havoc.

At least for now Adrien - both of him - was OK. But… _why_ would the Cure have revived the 2019 version of Adrien, if he wasn't the victim of an akuma attack?

...Unless…

The alarm bells in Ladybug's head were joined by a siren.

She shook her head to clear it. Whatever her brain was telling her, finding and dealing with Volpina was more important. She opened the door to the roof to go check on Chat, and saw - to her relief - that he was wrestling with Volpina. He had taken her flute away from her, rending her effectively powerless. She was scrabbling over him, trying vainly to reach her flute, which was about three feet away from them.

"Miss me, Bug?" He threw her a rakish smile while restraining Volpina.

"More than I think either of us realize." That was more to herself than Chat, and she hoped that he didn't hear her. She raised her voice. "What's the password?"

Chat beckoned with his head, and Ladybug ran over, yo-yo spinning in case it was a trap or Volpina suddenly got loose. He whispered in her ear. "_The cat's pajamas. _Sorry, I didn't want to shout it out for everyone to hear."

"Good thinking, Kitty. Do you have her under control?"

He seamlessly transitioned to a seated full-nelson and wrapped his legs around Volpina's waist. "I don't think she's going anywhere for a while."

Volpina struggled fruitlessly against Chat and swore. "Give me back my flute! This is _ridiculous!_ Mariposa _demands _that I defeat you, and I almost did!"

"_Mariposa,_ huh? I'm glad to hear the Butterfly holder has a name. Anyway… I think I know who our fox friend is. Let me get Miraculer, and we can confirm that. Hang tight, Kitty." She picked up the flute and snapped it in two. No butterfly emerged from that, either, but Ladybug wasn't surprised at this point.

She returned to the stairwell and shook Sabrina on the shoulder.

Sabrina lifted her head and looked Ladybug in the eyes. "What happened? Where am I? Where's Chloé?"

"You were akumatized, Sabrina. We're on top of Montparnasse Tower."

"Oh no!" She put her hand over her mouth. "I hope I didn't do anything bad. I was just… filled with hate. Just, a blinding… hate for everything." She shuddered.

"It's all fixed now. We need your help - do you know where Volpina's akumatized object is?"

"Volpina? She's here? Oh no… last thing I remember, I was with Chloé in her room. We were having an argument over a picture on her Instagram and now I'm up here!" She grabbed at her hair and started pulling. "Oh! She's going to hate me, I know it!"

"Calm down, Sabrina, we'll get things between you two worked out. You were in Chloé's room?"

"Yeah."

Ladybug looked at Mister Bug and nodded. "You think you can tie up Volpina long enough for us to sort this out?"

"It would be my pleasure."

The three of them went out to the roof, where Mister Bug cast his yo-yo around Volpina. He hoisted her over his shoulder.

Volpina struggled in vain. "Ex-_cuse_ me! I do _not_ deserve to be treated like this!"

"Be lucky I don't drop you over the side of the building." He turned to Ladybug. "Where to?"

"Le Grand Paris. Mister Bug, Chat, you take Volpina. I'll take Sabrina. Let's go!" She picked Sabrina up bridal-style and swung off toward the hotel.

* * *

They arrived on the rooftop balcony of Le Grand Paris. Ladybug opened the door to Chloé's bedroom and scanned the room. If the argument was over something on Instagram, then chances were… _yes_. There it was. On the floor next to the bed was a dark purple object that was most likely Chloé's phone. She readied her yo-yo and stomped on the phone, breaking it and causing the butterfly hiding within to flee.

* * *

Chat was standing on the balcony with Sabrina, Mister Bug and Volpina when black-and-purple bubbles washed over Volpina, revealing Chloé.

"What happened? Why am I tied up in a yo-yo string? This is _ridiculous! _Utterly _ridiculous_!"

"Hello to you too, Chloé." Chat smiled reassuringly.

"_Chat Noir!_ What happened?"

"You were akumatized. Ladybug is in your room now… she must have found whatever it was where the butterfly was hiding."

Ladybug emerged from the bedroom holding Chloé's phone. "Here you go, Chloé. I believe this belongs to you?"

"It's _broken_, Ladybug."

"Oh, sorry! My mistake. _Miraculous Ladybug!_" She tossed her yo-yo up in the air and a burst of pink light, followed by a swarm of red-and-black magic ladybugs swept through the area. "There, I fixed it." She looked at Chat Noir and opened her mouth, then quickly shut it.

"Well," Chloé huffed out. "If that's everything, then I don't see a reason for me to hang around here. Come on, Sabrina." She took Sabrina by the arm and led her into the room.

"Chloé… wait!" Chat called out. "Can you tell us anything about the new Butterfly holder? What did they sound like? What did they _want_?"

Chloé turned around. "You know I don't remember anything about that."

"You mentioned _Mariposa_, Chloé, when you were akumatized… does that name ring a bell?"

"Sorry… I can't help you. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to rest. This has been _very_ traumatic." She shut the balcony door and drew the curtains behind her.

Mister Bug scratched his head. "I just realized something… our earrings aren't chirping. Did you recharge after the first Lucky Charm?"

"No, I didn't." Ladybug reached up and fiddled with her earring. "I didn't even think about it… usually the earrings start chirping, but getting you back and defeating Volpina were my priorities."

"Oh, I see! And you used Miraculous Ladybug twice, too!" He bounced a bit on his feet, smiling. "Well, then! Good, good, good. Yes. Um… congratulations. I've got… um, well… I'll just leave you two alone then. Catch up with you later!" He turned and launched himself off into the distance.

Chat could have sworn he heard Mister Bug _laughing_ as he swung away.

"Any idea what _that_ was about, Bug?"

She turned away from him. "No! Um… not at all. Sorry!" She ran to the edge of the roof, tripping over a deck chair in the process. "I've gotta go! Um… I'll text you later, Ki- uh, Chat. Um. Yeah. Sorry - just realized I have to be back at my house for something important with my parents."

"Don't you want to talk about Mariposa, the Fox, and what we learned?"

"Yes! What I learned! I mean, what we learned! We should do that… but… my parents. Yes. Gotta go help them, they're um, needing help right now and I'm the helper! Text you later!" She threw her yo-yo and jumped off the roof before it latched around anything.

"What was _that_ all about?" Chat muttered. "I don't have that long of a distance to go back to my room, at least." He extended his baton, walked over to the side of the roof that was above his room, then, making sure nobody was watching, lowered himself to his room and entered through the window he had left open.

* * *

Ladybug crashed into two buildings on the way back to her house.

* * *

"Plagg, I don't understand." Adrien was pacing the length of his hotel room while his kwami munched on cheese. "So much happened in that last battle… can you try to help me figure it out, please?"

"I'll do my best, Adrien… but I may have slept through when some of this stuff was covered in class." Plagg floated along next to him, switching directions in time with Adrien.

Adrien sighed. "Some help _you_ are."

Plagg stopped following Adrien and floated at a point roughly near the middle of where Adrien was pacing. "Hey, _you're_ the one who wanted to go to school, not me."

"Fine. We'll start with some easy stuff. I hope. Why didn't Ladybug time out after using her Lucky Charm? I seem to remember from Timetagger and from… well, Hawk Moth of all people… that we were young and inexperienced, and that's why we would automatically transform back after using our powers, and he wouldn't. Is Ladybug older than I thought she was? I mean, she joked about being 5,000 years old back during the whole Pharaoh business… but I thought she was a teenager, just like me! Oh my goodness! I've been crushing on… on… _an ancient being?_"

Plagg chortled. "Unless you've been crushing on her kwami, not at all. But I'm not going to say anything else about who Ladybug is. I can't. Magical contracts and all that. What I _can_ tell you is that age really has nothing to do with whether or not you transform after using your power."

"But Hawk Moth said…" Adrien waved his hands in an effort to find the words.

"Consider the _source_, Adrien. He had a wealth of untapped potential at his fingertips and all he did for the most part was just make akumas over and over again. While there were flashes of brilliance, he never really tapped into the true transformative power of the Butterfly. Think about it… I can Cataclysm by myself, without you having to be transformed. Other kwamis have similar abilities… but do you think he ever thought of that? _Nooooo_." The last word was delivered in a sarcastic drawl.

Adrien gave him a quizzical look. "So you're saying…"

"I'm saying that your father didn't really understand a lot of things. It's hard for kids to hear that about their parents, I know. Anyway… he made a bunch of assumptions. Like him being an adult versus you and the other heroes being kids."

"You are killing me with the suspense, Plagg… what is it?"

"Ladybug didn't time out because she - _finally_, I might add - started dating her soulmate." He popped the rest of the cheese in his mouth and floated over to the table to grab another wedge.

Adrien didn't know what to make of that. He was happy for his Lady, for sure… but he knew that Ladybug wasn't dating _him_. And knowing that Ladybug wasn't his soulmate… well, that hurt, to be honest. The animal part of him - not the part that turned into Chat Noir but the one that registered emotions like jealousy - reared its ugly head again. _It should be you. She should have told you her identity first, she should be dating you…_

He shook his head to clear it, leaving him with a slight dizzy feeling, a sour taste in his mouth, and a ball of lead in his stomach.

...And what did Plagg mean by "_finally"_?

"Adrien? You still with me?"

Adrien noticed that he had stopped pacing and was gripping the top of the couch so tightly that he had dented the cushion. "Yeah, sorry… um… hey, moving on from that… so Mister Bug is linked with Ladybug… and we're obviously linked because he's, well, _me_… is there anything I can expect from that? Like… I took a couple of Cataclysms today and fell off the Tower, then died. Miraculous Ladybug brought me back, just like the _other_ times I died… but… I generally feel fine after that happens. Does that affect Oldrien at all? He seemed a bit loopy when he came out of the stairwell earlier."

"Sorry, that's outside of my expertise." Plagg selected another wedge of Camembert and ate it in one bite. "I don't have much personal experience with time travel… generally, when someone talks about traveling back through time, it's to fix something I've done."

"The dinosaurs, right." Adrien rolled his eyes. Maybe Ladybug's kwami would be more helpful. Maybe the _Guardian_ would be more helpful, but just like the Guardian had asked, Adrien had forgotten how to get there. Maybe there was something in the tea that made memories fuzzy. Speaking of memories… "Oldrien seemed pretty intent on getting me to talk with Father the other day, and all he said was to go to the mansion and carry on his work. _What_ work? Do you have any idea what he could have been talking about?"

"Sorry, Adrien… I didn't make it a habit to wander around the mansion, unfortunately. I wish I could help you, but I really have no idea."

Adrien hummed and pulled out his phone. He needed someone else to talk to. He tapped on the keyboard and put his phone back into his pocket, then laid down on the bed and closed his eyes.


	27. Time Out!

Ladybug entered her room via the skylight and hopped down to her bed. She de-transformed, and Marinette found herself immediately wrapped in a large hug from her parents.

"_Mmmph_… Mom, Dad, I can't breathe…" she mumbled into someone's shirt.

Her parents released her. "Sorry... " her mother said, wiping her face. "We saw the news clips from the battle today, and… my goodness. Is Chat Noir OK? He fell off that _building_ and…"

"He's fine. The Miraculous Cure… _my_ Miraculous Cure… fixes everything that happens during akuma battles. He's OK. _I'm_ OK. Mister Bug's OK." She snapped to attention and pushed herself away from her parents. "Sorry… I need to know it's really you. I'll explain later. Tell me something that only you would know about me."

Her mother frowned. "You've always wanted a hamster named _Jean-Claws_."

"OK," Marinette replied. She looked at her father. "Your turn."

"You have two bellybuttons." Tom said, shrugging.

Marinette slouched. "_Why_ does everyone keep using that?"

"What do you mean, honey?" Her father rubbed his face. "You've never told _anyone_ about that. Who else do you mean?"

"Mister Bug. He's… um… oh, this is hard to explain. He's from the future and apparently he and I are dating or something and when I asked him to prove that he was who he said he was that's what he told me so if we _are _dating or something then it totally makes sense for him to know that about me, I guess? I don't know."

Her parents blinked. "I'm not sure I've heard you ramble like that in a while," her mother finally said. "So… you're dating _Mister Bug_ then? What would _Adrien_ say about that?" There was a familiar twinkle in her mother's eye, and Marinette knew she was relishing this particular opportunity to tease her about Adrien.

"That's… complicated."

Her father scratched his head. "Do you know who Mister Bug is?"

"Yes, I do. And… and… I'm pretty sure I figured out who Chat Noir is, too."

Her mother beamed. "Well, that's great!"

"No, it's _not_ great!" She put her hands over her face and slowly slid them down. "It's a disaster!"

"But honey… knowing who he is doesn't change anything, does it? How many teenagers are there in Paris? It's not like you _know_ him or anything, right? He's probably just like you."

"Oh… oh, no he's not. _Aaaaaagh!_ Can I… can I just have a moment, please?"

The twinkle in her mother's eye hadn't faded. "Sure thing, honey. Should I leave some ice cream out for you when you're done having your crisis?"

Tom stuck his finger in the air. "No, I'll cue up Ultimate Mecha Strike for her so she can beat things up instead."

"_Please?"_ Marinette whined.

"OK, OK… what fun is having a teenage daughter if you can't tease them, though? _OW!_ What was _that_ for?" Tom said as he descended the stairs, rubbing his elbow where Sabine had smacked him.

* * *

"Tikki… can we talk?" Marinette did her best to keep her voice steady.

Tikki floated in front of her face and yawned. "You know that whatever I say, Mister Bug hears, right?"

"I have a feeling that at this point it doesn't matter too much."

"Fair enough, Marinette. What do you want to talk about?"

Marinette sighed. "So you know who Chat Noir is, right?"

"Yes, I found out for sure when you were trapped in that container during Dark Owl."

"I think I just found out for sure, Tikki."

Tikki frowned and folded her arms. "How did that happen, Marinette?"

Marinette knew that Tikki had put up with her crazy ideas and ramblings before, but this was the first time she could remember that she had gone off about Chat's identity. "Well… tell me if I'm too off-base here. You can tell me if I'm right or wrong, can't you? You don't have to name him directly."

Tikki hummed and nodded. "As long as you don't throw a bunch of names at me. I'll give you one guess."

"OK. So… at the battle today, after Chat got hit by Cataclysm twice, Mister Bug started fading away, and he said that it was because the 2019 version of him had died. But here's the thing… _Miraculous Ladybug restored him._ That means that 2019 Adrien Agreste was involved in that akuma attack somehow and died. Now, which is more likely: Adrien dying from a fall, or Adrien just strolling by Montparnasse Tower and Chat landing on him?"

Tikki snickered but quickly regained her composure.

"But there's more. There was the first time that Mister Bug didn't show up for battle, back at the park with the Extermin-Hater. Chat died _there_ too… and Mister Bug didn't show up. I'm willing to bet you it's because the _same thing_ happened to him then as well. He just didn't tell me about it!"

"Let me ask you this, Marinette… what would you have done if he had? It sounds like he was trying to keep Chat's identity a secret… if you're going where I think you're going with this."

"You know where I'm going with this, Tikki. And the last set of clues… they're more subtle, but they're there. Chat gave me that phone with the playlists on it. And that one night when I went over to the hotel, Adrien was playing songs from that playlist. He even mentioned something about taking a cat nap! I mean… come _on_, now!

"And then finally… the more I let my guard down around Chat and the more sincere he is around me… the more I see _Adrien_. Adrien makes my heart melt in more ways than one when he calls me _Everyday Ladybug_… but if I'm looking for it, Chat can be Everyday Adrien. He's sweet, kind, determined, brave… everything that I've seen out of Adrien since I've met him."

Tikki turned a backflip and flew right up to Marinette's nose, grinning widely. "Let's not forget the most important thing, Marinette: you've kissed both of them, now. Do Adrien's lips feel the same as Chat Noir's?"

Marinette burst into loud laughter. "Oh my gosh, Tikki, don't make me throw something at you! I can't believe you would say something like that!"

"...Well?" The kwami smiled slyly and floated a bit closer to Marinette's face.

"Tikki, I kissed Chat in the heat of the moment, in an akuma battle, trying to free him from the magic spell. Do you really think I was focusing on how his _lips felt_? Because I totally wasn't. I don't even remember how they felt!"

Tikki folded her arms and smirked. "Marinette… are you lying?"

Marinette threw her hands in the air and groaned. "Fine! Fine! You're right! They felt the same. _Exactly_ the same. Because _they're the same person_… right? I'm in love with Adrien Agreste, who is Chat Noir, who… oh, Tikki… I'm right, aren't I? It's Adrien?" She lowered her voice. "Adrien is Chat Noir?"

"Marinette, the glamour that protects Miraculous holders is powerful magic. Breaking it isn't something that can be done easily. Usually, in order to discover who a Miraculous holder is, they have to tell you directly. Even transforming in front of the other person sometimes isn't enough: the magic will cause a feeling of shock or disbelief that's just severe enough to cause the human brain to dismiss or forget what that person just saw. It's why you haven't been discovered yet, even though sometimes you transform in what amounts to broad daylight, right out in the open."

"Usually…? What are the other situations?"

"It's a very specific situation when two Miraculous holders are _soulmates_. Take a look at Alya and Nino, for example. Alya suspected right from the start that Nino was Carapace… not because he didn't really change his mannerisms or anything like that, but because the glamour between the two of them was already weakened. It's why he was able to easily accept that she was Rena Rouge when you asked them to transform together. If it were a different situation, then the magic would fight his perception somewhat."

"But I've never seen Adrien transform, and he didn't tell me who he was… I just kind of figured it out! Why can't other people just figure out who we are? Someone with enough information should be able to figure it out, right?" Marinette stopped waving her arms long enough for Tikki to settle in her open hand.

"Marinette, you missed what I said about _soulmates_." Tikki grabbed Marinette's ring finger and squeezed. "That bond is stronger than any other bond, even familial ties. Otherwise, Hawk Moth and Chat Noir would have figured each other out _long_ ago."

Marinette recoiled as if she had been slapped. Why didn't she think of this earlier? Adrien… _Chat Noir_… was living under the same roof as Hawk Moth. And for months on end, Adrien was fighting his father, while Gabriel Agreste was going after his son for… well, to get his Miraculous, right? But _why_?

_Poor Adrien._ Marinette never really envied Adrien his life. Shut up in a mansion, trotted out to model for his father like some sort of show animal… sure, he had everything a boy his age could dream of, in theory… but there was always some sort of wistfulness, some naivete, that ran just far enough under the surface that most people wouldn't pick up on it.

Adrien Agreste… Chat Noir… pursuing his father without knowing it. Pursuing his Lady - _her_ \- without reciprocation. How frustrating that life must have been for him! He never gave any hint that he didn't enjoy being Chat Noir… but every now and then, like on the balcony, or later on that evening before fighting Glaciator, or while fighting Frozer… he let a little bit slip out.

A frustrating home life… a frustrating hero life… she would have to fix that.

"Marinette? Hello?" Tikki floated forward and booped Marinette on the nose to get her attention.

"Huh? Oh, sorry, Tikki… I zoned out a bit. Please, what were you saying?"

"I was saying that if the glamour wasn't powerful, your parents would have figured you out long ago. But you were able to piece the clues together because you finally accepted Adrien as your soulmate."

Marinette waved her arms. "_Finally_ accepted him? I've been crushing on him for _forever_ now! Hello! Pictures all around my room, under my bed…?"

"Yes, but now you're _dating _him."

"Not for lack of trying! If anything, _he_ was the oblivious one! He was… was…" She clapped her hands over her mouth. "_Oh my gosh, he wasn't dating me because he was crushing on Ladybug, wasn't he?_"

"He finally opened his eyes and realized what he was saying when he was calling you _Everyday Ladybug_. He _sees you_ as Ladybug, just without the spots! Since he accepted Ladybug as his soulmate ages ago and sees you as Ladybug, it must be good enough for the magic protection to start fading! I'm not really sure about that, though… it's been a long time since I've had to deal with someone as - what was the word you used? - _oblivious_ as he has been. But to be fair to him, that really hasn't been his fault."

"Tikki… I think I need to sit down." She felt her way to her chaise and plopped down. "OK, to sum up: Adrien is Chat is my soulmate. I was able to figure it out because we're dating. What else am I missing?"

"You've powered up!"

Marinette gripped the edge of the chaise to keep herself from springing back up and pacing again. "Wait, _what_? How so?"

"You used Lucky Charm once and Miraculous Ladybug twice, all without needing to recharge me. From now on, you'll be able to stay transformed after using your power and use your power multiple times before de-transforming."

"I thought I had to be an adult to do that!"

"No… you had to be with your soulmate. Congratulations. I'm really happy for you, Marinette. But… speaking of recharging… I need to go and rest now. We can talk more later, assuming you've gotten all of this out of your system for now, yes?"

Marinette nodded.

Tikki floated away, singing something under her breath that sounded like "_the power of love, always so strong"_.

Marinette shook her head at her kwami and smiled. Tikki could be cryptic and mysterious sometimes, but she never failed at being cute.

A buzz from her purse jolted her back to reality. She opened her purse and took out her phone.

**[Adrien]** **I'm really looking forward to lunch tomorrow with you.**

Marinette had a choice. She could be nervous in front of Chat because he was Adrien, or she could be confident in front of Adrien because he was Chat. Adrien found her nervousness as Marinette endearing… but he loved the confidence of Ladybug. And if she started getting all nervous and stutter-y around Chat… then he would probably think she got hit by Reverser again. She probably owed him an explanation for how quickly she left Chloé's balcony.

Confidence with a hint of squee. That was the ticket.

**[Marinette] Me too! It's going to be great. My treat for this one, OK? I insist.**

Marinette put her phone back in her purse, picked up her Chat-phone - just in case - and went downstairs. Her parents looked up from the table, where they were getting dinner ready.

"Honey, do we have to do the hamster and bellybutton thing every time we see you?" Her mother smiled. "Can you tell us what that was about, please?"

"Yes, I can. You didn't see all of that fight over at Tour Montparnasse. Yes, you saw Chat fall off the roof… but inside, it was worse."

"Worse? How so?"

"Volpina was on top of the Tower… but she was filling the inside with illusions. Crazy things. Things that…" She took a breath, her mind going back a few hours - was it only _that_ recently? - to the screams of the workers engulfed in flames. "Things that, even though I knew they weren't real… they made me question what I was seeing. Even Chat and I had to check on each other to make sure we were real. I know that even though we defeated Volpina, there's still someone out there with the power of illusion. You can't be too careful."

"So… the hamster and bellybutton thing."

"Exactly. We should probably do something between us. Like, Chat and I have a code phrase that we use. Let's just pick something that only the three of us know."

Tom grabbed a pot from the stove and playfully swung it to the table. "How about _The soup's on_?"

"That will work. Speaking of soup being on, let's eat! I'm starving."


	28. Tick, Tick, Tick

Marinette woke up the next morning feeling refreshed. It had been a while since she had slept _that _good. The combination of a good home-cooked meal and the playlist that Chat - _her boyfriend_ \- gave her to relax did the trick. Her mother had given her some hot tea right before bed, and Marinette would have been surprised if there wasn't anything in it to help her sleep. Yesterday was exhausting, both physically and mentally. Today would hopefully be a better day.

Her first priority was going to talk to Master Fu. Between finding out who Chat was and being linked to Mister Bug and what happened to Chat and and and… she had to get his insight. He was almost two hundred years old, after all… he probably knew what was going on.

After breakfast, she bade her parents good-bye and walked to Master Fu's apartment. He answered the door and let her in. After getting her some tea, they sat down on the floor across from each other.

"You seem troubled, Marinette. Please, tell me how I can help."

"Master, I had a rather… eventful day yesterday. You saw the news reports of the battle, yes?"

"I did. Poor Chat Noir. You were able to bring him back, though, with your Cure."

"I was. And I… found some things out in the meantime." She darted her eyes to the side and fidgeted.

"Go on, Marinette."

"After Chat fell off the roof, Mister Bug tried to do his Lucky Charm to rescue him so we could continue our battle with Miraculer and Volpina uninterrupted. But _Mister Bug started fading away_, claiming that the 2019 version of himself had just died. I was able to do Lucky Charm, but there were a few questions I had about that."

Master Fu nodded and sipped at his tea.

"Mister Bug had told Chat Noir earlier that he figured out that Mister Bug and myself were _linked_ \- that with two working, authentic copies of the Miraculous in one timeline, it served to divide Tikki somehow. That whatever Tikki said to me, the Tikki with Mister Bug said as well. Whenever I transformed, he did - and vice versa. Whenever I used my powers, he did too. My timer started counting down after using my power, and so did his. Does any of that ring any bells? I know you said you studied time travel but had never seen an instance of this before, but… any information you have will be valuable."

Master Fu hummed and sipped his tea again. "This is very curious, Marinette. First: did Mister Bug get a copy of the Lucky Charm you used on the Tower when he was fading away?"

Marinette thought hard for a few seconds. "I didn't _see_ another one appear, no. Mister Bug couldn't cast Lucky Charm on his own. I guess I was… well, _lucky_… that I was able to do it myself with him fading away."

"No, that was consistent with your powers." Master Fu shook his head. "Even though there were two copies of the Miraculous, it is _your_ Miraculous that belongs to this timeline. Him leaving our time period - for whatever reason - will not affect your Miraculous."

"I see. That's good to know." She paused. "Do you think it's redundant for two Ladybugs to be running around? Especially if we're linked like this? I mean, if our powers were separate, then it would be useful. We would each get our own Lucky Charm, each figure out how to use it, and be twice as effective. I feel like in this case there's some sort of diminishing return."

"What are you asking, Marinette?"

Marinette squinted at the gramophone on Master Fu's credenza. "Maybe I should get another Miraculous and wield that while Mister Bug is here. Something unexpected, something useful… something complimentary, like the Dragon or the Mouse. What do you think about that?"

The Guardian shook his head emphatically. "Absolutely not, Marinette. You are _Ladybug_."

"But with Mister Bug…"

Fu cut her off. "Let me say it again: it is _your_ Miraculous that belongs to this timeline. _You_ are the Ladybug here, even if Mister Bug is older and more experienced - which I don't think he is. _You_ are the one in control. He should not take precedence, even if that's your natural instinct. You lead the Miraculous Team. Do not relegate yourself to a secondary position."

Marinette bowed her head. "Yes, Master. Thank you for your wisdom."

"Is there anything else, Marinette?"

She kept her head bowed and took a big gulp of tea. What she had to tell the Guardian next was sure to get him mad at her. She fiddled with a thread sticking out from her jeans before speaking. "Yes… because of what happened in that last battle, I figured out who Chat Noir is. Please don't be mad! I know you emphasized secret identities and how dangerous it is for us to know who the other one is… I mean, look at Chloe and what happened to her family! I'm sorry… I didn't mean to, it just hit me all at once!"

Master Fu held up his hand, and Marinette stopped talking and took another big gulp of tea. When she found the courage to look up at him, she saw that his eyes were crinkled with a smile, not flashing with anger. The corners of his mouth twitched.

"Marinette - I'm not mad. I knew once Mister Bug came on the scene that this was inevitable. I just couldn't say anything because it was something you had to figure out for yourself. So… the boy you love and your partner are the same person. How do you feel about this?"

Marinette had the distinct feeling that she was being teased. "How do I feel? I would feel a lot different about this if I hadn't started dating Adrien a few days ago."

His eyes positively twinkled. "Oh!" He suppressed a chuckle - barely. "Do continue."

"It's just - Chat's my _partner_. He's always been trying to get me to notice him romantically, and I'm afraid by knowing who he is and _dating him_ I've thrown our partnership off balance. It's going to be different being around either side of him, and even though I have a plan, I'm not sure my plan isn't going to turn into me reverting into a giant puddle of goo the next time I see him. What if that happens in battle? We'll be in serious trouble!"

"OK, first things first, Marinette. Have you told him who _you_ are?"

"I haven't, no."

"Good. Keep it that way for the time being. Not that I think you shouldn't, but right now you are clearly dealing with the after-effects of the realization. With two missing Miraculous out there, give yourself time to process those feelings first. The water has just been set to boil; you will know when to put the noodles in. When do you see him next?"

"This afternoon unless there's a battle."

Fu hummed and nodded. "Good. I suggest you just be yourself around him, as best you can. No disasters, right?"

Marinette smiled at having her own words turned around on her. "No disasters. I'll do my best."

"Good. Now, I must correct you: you said _either side of Chat Noir_. If you know who he is, then you know that there is not a personality transplant that comes with the Miraculous transformation. You are Ladybug whether or not you are in costume. Your partner is Chat Noir with or without his costume. Why is that?"

"Actually, Master… I was thinking that my partner is, well… _Adrien_ with or without his costume."

Fu nodded again. "You are correct. When I chose you two to wield the Miraculous, neither of you had any superpowers, obviously. I had to go off of how you behaved - what you valued - in your day-to-day life. Both of you were willing to drop everything, in your case literally, to help a complete stranger out. What makes your partner an excellent Chat Noir is already there. I suggest you try and discover what that is. It can only bring you closer together."

Marinette drained her mug. "That is very wise of you, Master. Thank you. I think I will try that this afternoon."

"And that is wise of _you_. Was there anything else on your mind?"

Marinette considered. "Yes, one last thing, Master. Were Chat Noir and I soulmates before we got the Miraculous, or is that a side effect?"

"I already answered that question. All I will tell you additionally on that front, Marinette, is that you two were made for each other."

"Already answered…? What do you mean?"

But Fu just smiled serenely and refused to elaborate.

* * *

It was almost noon. Of that much, he was sure. He didn't know anymore what day it was or how long he had been in this timeline. But it was almost noon, and he was on top of the Louvre, waiting. Waiting for what or whom, exactly? He wasn't entirely sure about _that_, either. Bunnyx would come and get him, he knew that much. Did he fail in his mission? He would have to figure out what else he needed to do.

A red-and-black blur appeared out of the sky and landed next to him. "What are you waiting for?" Ladybug asked.

Mister Bug shrugged and adjusted the zipper on his tracksuit. "They're going to come and get me, bring me back to my own timeline. I think I screwed up by coming here."

"Are they coming today?"

"I… can't remember. Noon on top of the Louvre."

"It's past noon now." Her voice dropped to a near-whisper. "What if they don't come at all?"

Mister Bug shook his head and growled. "I can't afford to think that right now. They'll come and get me. I'm sure of it."

"I hope they haven't forgotten about you. You deserve more than that." She stood up and swung away.

Mister Bug fiddled with the sleeves on his tracksuit and frowned. _I hope they haven't forgotten about me, either._

* * *

Marinette headed down to the bakery to gather some food for lunch. She took a box and put a couple of quiches in it, then took another box and put some chouquettes in there, since she now knew they were Adrien's favorite pastry. Even though Ladybug had brought Chat some chouquettes only a few days ago, Marinette figured that it wouldn't do any harm. If she dropped enough clues for him to figure her identity out on his own, then they were back in balance, right? She waved goodbye to her parents, then walked over to Le Grand Paris and went up to the first floor.

_Confident with a hint of squee. _Marinette could do this. She had prepared her entire _life_ for this - or at least, the period of her life where she was aware of Adrien's existence. She knocked on the door of Adrien's hotel room.

He opened the door and flashed a radiant smile.

She nearly dropped the boxes holding lunch. She steadied herself and returned his smile. "Hey, Adrien! Ready for a great lunch?" She stepped forward and kissed him, then squealed a bit when he kissed her back. Yes… those were _definitely_ Chat's lips.

Confident with a hint of squee.

"It smells great! What do we have for lunch?"

Marinette went into the hotel room while Adrien closed the door behind her. She set down the boxes on the table and opened the first one. "Quiche lorraine! I hope you like it."

"I love quiche lorraine! What's in the other box?"

"That's for after we eat the quiche… you'll squee. See. You'll see."

"I might squee, too, if it's something from your parents' bakery." He waggled his eyebrows at her.

"I'll hold you to that."

"Please, sit down!" Adrien produced some plates and cutlery and laid them out on the table.

"Are you excited to go back to school tomorrow?"

"I am! I'm, well… I'm excited to see my friends every day again. I've been kind of cooped up in here for the past week… and -" he took a bite of quiche "- even though I'm kind of used to that with how my home life has been and everything, it doesn't make it something I look forward to."

"I'm glad, Adrien. You deserve to have more things you look forward to." _Besides being Chat Noir, of course._

"What about you? Is there anything you're looking forward to?"

"Why, yes, actually… holding your hand as we walk into the classroom, for one? Maybe? If that's OK with you?"

"Oh, really?" Adrien's eyes twinkled. "Looking to show me off?" His tone of voice indicated that he would not mind being shown off in the least.

"...You can say that. The girls in the class - well, most of them, anyway - have been waiting for us to get together pretty much ever since you showed up in class. We even came up with some pretty convoluted plans to make that happen. It's going to blow everyone's minds when they see it." Especially Lila's, but she didn't need to mention that part.

"I guess that's fair. I'll work on understanding the female social hierarchy some other time." He wiped his mouth with his napkin. "So… the other box?"

Marinette slapped her hands on the table and mock scolded him. "Adrien Agreste! You're like a kid in a candy store!"

"...or a pastry shop?"

Marinette laughed. "Or a pastry shop. Go ahead and open the box." She sat back and folded her hands underneath her chin, watching him closely to see his reaction. If she was right, then…

"_Chouquettes?_" He looked up from the box, mouth open and eyes wide.

Marinette had to suppress a giggle. Now that she knew what to look for, the similarities between Adrien and Chat were right there in front of her.

"Did you know these were my favorite pastry?"

Marinette pasted her best innocent look onto her face. "Me? Maybe. Maybe not. A girl can't reveal _all_ her secrets, can she?"

He stuffed another one in his mouth and said something that sounded like "these are delicious, thank you so much!"

She didn't do such a good job holding another giggle back. _Oh, Adrien… if I spend the rest of my life making you this happy, it will be worth it. You've earned it more than you've ever dreamed of._

* * *

An hour or so later, Adrien and Marinette were on the couch watching... something on Netflix. Marinette wasn't paying much attention, to be honest. Her head was on his shoulder and Adrien's arm reached around her, running his fingers through her hair, stopping occasionally to play with the ribbons holding her pigtails in place.

_I know I need to look for the Adrien in Chat… but honestly it's been all Chat today. And you know what? It's really not a bad thing._

"I need to thank you, Marinette." Adrien traced a line over her cheekbone.

"Lunch was _that_ good, huh?" She nestled deeper onto his shoulder.

He chuckled. "Well, _yes_, actually… but there's something else." He sighed, and Marinette waited for him to continue. "Last night when I texted you, I… wasn't feeling the greatest. There's a… friend of mine. I got some upsetting news about them yesterday, and I didn't take it the greatest."

"Oh no, Adrien! I'm so sorry! Do you still need to talk about it?" She sat up and faced him, taking his hands.

"Well… it's kind of awkward, to be honest." He used his free hand to rub the back of his neck. "Let's just say that even though we're not as close as I thought we were… this friend is still very important to me. And knowing that I might not be as important to her as she is to me, well… it stung. Still stings, as a matter of fact."

"Hey." Marinette reached up and brushed his hair off of his forehead, then kissed him on the back of his hands. "Hey. It's OK. Let me tell you something: just because this person is friends with someone else doesn't mean they still can't be friends with _you_." She took a deep breath, wondering how to continue. She had a good idea what this was about, based on the conversation yesterday with Mister Bug and what Master Fu said this morning. He was probably upset that Ladybug wasn't dating _him_.

Her heartbeat quickened. Master Fu said to not tell Adrien… _yet_. That time needed to get closer, or she was going to burst. "Can I make a suggestion? Stay close to your friend. They may still need you, even though it won't be in the way you want… or wanted them to. And in the meantime…" She nuzzled his nose with hers, then ghosted a kiss across his lips. "You have me."


	29. Time for Class

Lila sat at her laptop, rewinding what footage of the battle on Tour Montparnasse she could find on the internet. She needed an angle on the fight… something good that she could use for the _Ladyblog_. The fight might not have gone the way she would have liked in the long run, but there were some interesting developments along the way. Especially the way Chat Noir took that fall. Sure, he wasn't Ladybug, but to be honest, watching one of them suffer was better than nothing.

She typed merrily away, a smile drawing out the corners of her mouth. This was _fun_. Sure, she wasn't able to be a superhero herself, but even without using a Miraculous she was able to control the so-called heroes and bend them to her will. That was more fun, anyway. Her talents - her abilities - were much better and useful than whatever Ladybug and Chat Noir got with stupid jewelry, anyway.

Although… using the Miraculous was its own kind of fun. She could move around unobserved and gather information… or set people on a path where she could _really_ take advantage of them. All she had to do was keep it simple and let history - or the future - take care of the rest.

But in the meantime… she would play and have fun.

* * *

Marinette woke up and stretched, the _Catnap_ playlist switching over to the _Kitty Section_ playlist early enough to get her out of bed and on the move in time for school. She checked her other phone and saw a message on there. She frowned, then giggled as she read it.

**[Adrien] Hey, Chloe wants to walk me to school this morning… along with the police escort, I guess. I'll ditch one of them and pick you up ten minutes before class starts, sound good? See you then.**

Marinette squealed and sent a reply back.

**[Marinette] Absolutely! See you then.**

She got dressed and went downstairs to eat breakfast. "Mom, Dad, this smells delicious!" There was an array of fresh croissants on the table, along with some homemade apple compote to go along with it.

"Soup's on, honey," Sabine said with a knowing wink. "We made something a little extra special since it's Adrien's first day back at school. Are you two going to make it official in front of the class, or…?"

"Mom, I think you know the answer to that one already. He's going to swing by the bakery and pick me up in a few minutes." She shoveled a buttery croissant in her mouth. "Ah cah whay oo she he oo on Iowa's hay!" She swallowed. "Sorry… I got a bit overexcited. I can't wait to see the look on Lila's face!" She spooned some compote on the end of another croissant and took another bite. "Iss onna ee gray!"

Sabine smiled and shook her head. "No disasters, then?"

"Not for me!" Marinette returned her mother's smile and got up from the table. "I need to be waiting downstairs for Adrien when he gets here… let me just run back up to my room and finish getting ready! Thanks for breakfast, Mom!" She ran to her mother's seat and kissed her on the cheek.

"Have a good day, honey!"

Marinette bolted back upstairs to her room, brushed her teeth, grabbed her backpack, and let out one last squeal to get it out of her system. She collected herself and went downstairs to the bakery, bouncing on her tiptoes as she watched out the window.

"Honey, please be careful to not put noseprints on the window again. We just had them cleaned."

"Sorry, Dad," Marinette giggled. "How are things? Getting ready for the day?"

"The soup's on, as it were," Tom said, then flashed Marinette a thumbs-up.

"Glad to hear it… oh look! Here he comes! Bye, Dad! Love you!" She ran back to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek before bursting out the door of the bakery. She nearly knocked Adrien over, and Lieutenant Raincomprix steadied them both.

Marinette cleared her throat and stood up straight. "Fancy seeing you here, Mr. Agreste. You going my way?" She stuck out her elbow theatrically and hoped she would be able to maintain her dignity for the short walk to the school.

Adrien reached over and pulled her elbow away from her, then reached down and took her hand instead, lacing their fingers together. "Apple-solutely." He smiled, and Marinette was glad he was holding on to her because she felt her knees want to buckle. "Let's get to class."

They started walking toward the school, Roger close behind.

"Is your escort going to be with you all day in class?" Marinette nodded her head back toward the policeman.

"He's going to walk me to class and pick me back up again at lunch. The teachers will be responsible for me while school is in session."

They reached the school. Chloe and Sabrina were waiting on the stairs. "Dupain-Cheng!" Chloe called out, then strode over to her. She put her finger in Marinette's face. "Treat him nice. He's been through a lot and I don't want anything bad to happen to him! You mess with him, you're messing with _me_. Got it?"

Adrien spoke up before Marinette could even respond. "Whoa, easy there, Chloe. I don't need you to big sister me… besides, I'm older than you, anyway." He smiled and put his hand on her shoulder. "I appreciate you looking out for me, though."

Chloe's expression softened. "Sorry… bad habit, I guess." She lowered her eyes and dropped her hand to her side. "Just… take care of him, OK, Marinette?"

"I don't think you'll have to worry about me, Chloe. I'd never hurt him. Truce?" She held out her hand.

Chloe looked at Marinette's hand as if it had six fingers. Finally, she shook it. "Truce. You're a good person, Dupain-Cheng. I'll still have my eye on you."

Marinette laughed. "That's fair. Thanks. Come on, Adrien, we don't want to be late on your first day back."

"You're lecturing me about being late?"

"Just roll with it, OK?" Marinette said sweetly, doing her best to not drag her boyfriend up the stairs.

Marinette burst through the door of the classroom like she usually did, although this time it was before class started… and she was dragging Adrien behind her.

Nino and Alya were the first to notice. "My dude! Welcome back!" Nino ran over and embraced Adrien.

"Marinette? Am I seeing what I think I'm seeing?" Alya asked, mouth agape.

Marinette nodded and smiled shyly.

"Wow." Alya said, although Marinette wasn't able to detect much enthusiasm behind Alya's words. She would have thought that Alya - who seemed to be more emotionally invested in Adrien and Marinette getting together than anyone else - would be jumping for joy. Maybe with everything else going on in her life, Alya was distracted. Or maybe she was too stunned for words - this _was_ Alya, though, and Marinette had never known that to be the case with her. She sat down at her desk and frowned as Alya took her seat.

To make things marginally worse, Lila wasn't in the classroom, either. First Marinette's best friend wasn't enthusiastic, now her worst enemy wasn't even _around_ to see her triumph. So much for _no disasters_. Apparently Marinette attracted them like moths to a flame. But, disasters or no, Marinette had walked into the school holding hands with the boy she liked - _loved?_ \- and that in and of itself was amazing.

The class settled in their seats as Ms. Bustier began her lesson.

* * *

The 11:00 break rolled around. Lila had shown up about a half-hour earlier, mentioning something about a doctor's appointment for a blood test.

Marinette heard Alya's phone vibrating as they got their notes for Literature out. Alya picked up her phone and swore underneath her breath. Marinette's ears perked up.

"_Mister Bug useless in climactic battle on Tour Montparnasse… Ladybug almost defeated due to the incompetence of her team?!_ What _is this?!_ That little - " Alya swore again and jumped out of her chair. She bolted over to where Lila was sitting.

"Hey, Alya, what's up?" Lila looked at her with a syrupy-sweet smile on her face that Marinette wanted to punch.

"You know as well as I do what's up. Quit ruining the _Ladyblog_. It's a fan site, not a gossip rag. I've told you before."

Lila sat back in her seat, looking way too relaxed for how Alya was acting. "Look, speaking of things that we've talked about before, I am just trying to do my best to bring the people of Paris what they want. If the superheroes aren't doing their best work, then Paris needs to know! There are dangerous things out there, and if Mr. Bug is one of those dangerous things, then I should be reporting on that! It's that simple!"

"Give me the blog back." The menace in Alya's voice was unmistakable.

"No." Lila folded her arms. "You gave it to me. If you want to run a Ladybug fan site, go ahead. I can give you some pointers on how to start your own."

"You _witch!_" Alya lunged over the desk and started throttling Lila. There was a general commotion in the class as Nino and Kim pulled Alya off of Lila.

"Alya Césaire! Go to the principal's office, _now_!" Ms. Bustier's voice cut through the chaos. "Nino, please escort her."

Alya gathered her bags with a huff and stalked out of the room, Nino following close behind.

"Ms. Bustier!" Lila called out from her seat. "May I go to the nurse?"

The teacher sighed. "Yes, Miss Rossi, you may go." Ms. Bustier clapped her hands twice. "Please, everybody else, take out your Literature work so we can begin the lesson." She turned around and began writing on the board.

Marinette chanced a look at Lila as she left the room. Lila didn't look happy at all.

* * *

The bells at Notre Dame sounded the noon hour.

A red-and-black blur swung out of the air and alighted on top of the Louvre pyramid, settling next to Adrien, who was already waiting there in his Mister Bug disguise.

"Nothing yet?" Ladybug asked.

Adrien shook his head.

Ladybug stared off into the distance and spoke in a slow, measured drawl. "What else do you need to do? Surely you didn't come here to the past for _nothing_… right?"

"I did what I told them I would do. I saved you from being akumatized." He spoke in tight, clipped words, then turned to Ladybug and asked in a tone that suggested a contrary answer would make him angry. "Isn't that enough?"

Ladybug hummed. "Have you seen the article in the _Ladyblog?_"

Adrien let out a deep breath and nodded.

She turned to him and shot him a wicked smile. "I wouldn't worry too much about it… I don't think you're as useless as the article made you out to be. Oh shoot... I promised someone I'd meet them for lunch. See you later!"

Ladybug swung off into the Paris sky.

Adrien watched her disappear into a red-and-black speck, then buried his head in the sleeves of his track suit.

* * *

Marinette went back to her house for lunch and was shocked to see Alya waiting there for her.

"Hey." Marinette's voice was tentative.

"Hey back." Alya didn't meet her eyes.

"Alya, I-"

"Marinette, please. I need to say something to you. Can we go upstairs?"

Marinette looked to her parents, who nodded. Maybe Alya had already spoken to them.

"Sure, yeah. Come on up." Marinette led her upstairs to the living room. "So… what is it?"

"I'm sorry. Just… I'm sorry. These past two weeks, I haven't been the greatest friend to you. I've had some things going on in… well, my personal life, I guess you'd say, and I let them get to me. Nino's been doing a great job supporting me, but he very helpfully pointed out on Saturday night that I haven't been myself recently. I think the exact words he used were _this is not the Alya I know and fell in love with, and if you can find that Alya soon, I would appreciate it._ I'm sure that he's not the only one who has noticed the difference, and… I'm sorry. Looking back on it, you were doing your best to reach out to me, and I was just pushing you away. And you didn't deserve that. You didn't deserve any of that. Nino's been good enough to stay by my side, but I've lost a lot of things I held dear to myself, and…"

"Like the _Ladyblog_?"

"Yes, like that… but I swear I was going to try to apologize to you even if I didn't get kicked out of school for a week over it. You're dating Adrien now, Nino tells me… and I should be _happy_ for you! Girl, we schemed and plotted for _ages_ to get you two together, and it happened, and I _wasn't even there_ for you, and I couldn't even be _happy_ for you this morning, I was so ashamed of myself. This has been a long time coming, Marinette, and… well… I'm sorry."

Marinette ran over and hugged Alya tight.

"It's over now. I forgive you. How can I help?"

"Heh… got any ins with the superheroes? I kind of… lost my primary contact a bit, and now with the _Ladyblog_ being how it is now, I don't think anybody will trust me. Oh, and don't worry about the _Ladyblog_… I called in a favor from Max and he's going to get it back from Lila, whether she likes it or not."

Marinette's eyes opened wide and she stifled a giggle.

"Now, girl, you are going to tell me _everything _that happened between you and Adrien to get you two dating. Spill it. Now." She sat down on the couch and patted the cushion next to her.

* * *

Adrien was in his room feeling restless. His dinner was excellent, his homework was done, and he had a couple of hours before he needed to get to sleep. He briefly considered going downstairs to play the piano, but the idea of playing Chopin with a policeman staring over his shoulder wasn't the most relaxing thing.

He pulled out his Chat phone and sent a message.

**[Chat Noir] Hey, I'm going to paw-trol for a bit. Feeling a bit cooped up. You're welcome to join me if you want =^.^=**

**[Ladybug] Thanks, but I've got homework kicking my butt right now. I'll keep an eye out if you need help though. Have fun! /(%)\**

Adrien transformed and leaped out the window of his hotel room after checking to make sure nobody was looking.

Paris was beautiful at night. He would never get tired of the view of the lights from various vantage points. The feel of the wind in his hair as he leaped from rooftop to rooftop. The sounds of the busy city below. Chat Noir loved his city and was glad that the business with his father didn't stop him from being Chat.

He swung up to the top of the Eiffel Tower to check the view and catch his breath, when a red-and-black blur landed on his right. "Hey, Kitty." Ladybug's voice was deep and husky. "Out by yourself on a beautiful night like this… I thought you'd like some company."

"It's nice seeing you here, Bug… I thought you were doing something else, though?"

"Oh, I wouldn't pass up an opportunity to spend time with my _favorite_ partner." She moved slightly toward him, where he could feel the heat from her body against his arm.

"Your _favorite_ _partner_, eh? Who's the competition these days?" He playfully leaned into her for a second, nudging her over a few inches.

She caught herself on his elbow and pulled herself back toward him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"L - _Ladybug?_" Two weeks ago this would have been all ten of his top-ten dreams. But she was dating her _soulmate_, and _he _was dating Marinette… something didn't add up.

She started tugging at his bell, slowly working the zipper on his costume lower.

"Hey, um… Bug? What are you doing?" He tried and failed to keep the wavering note out of his voice.

Ladybug hummed and pulled the zipper down to his chest.

"Bug? What are you expecting to find underneath there, huh? _The cat's pajamas?"_

"Oh, you know… we'll just have to find out." She flashed a smile at him.

"Bug." He scrambled away from her and pulled his zipper back up. "_The cat's pajamas._"

"You don't mean to tell me that you wear pajamas underneath that suit, do you? At the _very_ least, maybe Ladybug briefs…"

In one motion, he extended his staff and hit "Ladybug" in the arm. She recoiled and yelled, "Hey! What was _that _for?"

"You're not Ladybug." He spun his staff and advanced slowly. "_Who are you?_"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" The person posing as Ladybug swung off into the distance, leaving a very frustrated and confused Chat Noir alone on the Eiffel Tower.


	30. Time Bomb

Marinette was staring off into space in the classroom, even though she knew she should have been paying attention to the lesson. Her mind replayed the events from the morning.

She had fallen asleep on her desk while sketching some design ideas and woken up to an ominous text from Chat Noir:

**[Chat Noir] Hey, Bug - there's a phony Ladybug out there. I don't know what they're after, but they tried to trick me. I'll explain later. Tried chasing them but they lost me pretty easily.**

She had responded back as soon as she processed what he had said, but didn't have a chance to check to see if Chat had answered, as Adrien had arrived to pick her up for school. He had seemed oddly distracted and kept reaching for his satchel.

"Is everything OK, Adrien?" Marinette asked, running her fingers through the back of his hair.

"Yeah… sorry, I didn't sleep well last night. I'll be OK."

"I'm sorry - you know, I could make a playlist to help you sleep." She chuckled at her joke. Maybe Adrien would get it one day…

"Huh? Oh, that would be nice, actually. Thanks, Marinette!" He flashed her a smile and they walked into the classroom together.

After she sat down, she felt her purse buzz.

**[Chat Noir] Sorry, school stuff right now. Can we get together after school?**

**[Ladybug] I'll text you as soon as I'm done. Bug out /(%)\**

* * *

Despite his efforts at being silent, the profound _emptiness _of the mansion caused his footfalls to echo through the corridors. All that was left were a few portraits on the walls illuminated by the morning sun creeping in through the windows. The lavish furnishings, most of the decor… all packed away, either in storage or in preparation to be auctioned off. Being Hawk Moth was an expensive gamble, and Gabriel was paying for it.

Adrien entered the atelier, unzipping his tracksuit a bit to better cope with the stifling air in the room. No occupants meant no climate control, even though the power to the mansion was still on. The key - the key to Hawk Moth was _here_, somewhere. It had to be. Gabriel Agreste rarely left the atelier, much less the mansion as a whole, and in order for him to be Hawk Moth, then he had to be doing something in the atelier.

But _what?_

Pictures on the wall. A boy, smiling a winning smile, trained to draw people's eyes towards a flawless face and body. A woman, beauty radiating through the abstractness of the art hanging on the wall. A hole next to that picture, where a safe used to be,

_(he had been in that safe, he should have kept that book)_

long since extracted and removed by the Paris police force. Wires sticking out of the floor where a computer terminal once stood.

Adrien's eyes were drawn back to the pictures of him. If he closed his eyes, he could remember where each picture was taken. Each photoshoot, done at the direction of his father, was an opportunity to interact with him - at least, when he was first starting out. As he became more seasoned as a model, Gabriel rarely accompanied him. It turned out that Gabriel had other reasons for not accompanying him, supervillainry being at the very top of that list… but knowing what Adrien knew now, he might have excused his father his indiscretions. He might even have joined him at his side, especially once he had half of what his father was looking for all along.

He had _died_ fighting his father.

_(but he wouldn't think about death)_

And he wanted the _same thing_ that Father wanted. The entire time.

The connection between Hawk Moth and Emilie Agreste… nobody ever would have guessed it. Not in a million years. And clearly Gabriel Agreste wasn't getting the job done. That's why Adrien volunteered to come back in time. Saving Ladybug from being akumatized and helping out at battles was child's play

_(he was a child when he got the Miraculous, just a child)_

compared to his _real_ mission in coming back here: saving his mother.

It was easy in theory, right? Stop Hawk Moth, find where his mother was, and then… get Ladybug or the Guardian… probably both. His younger self would be over the moon at the opportunity to save his mother. Ladybug would most likely help young Adrien do anything he asked.

_(Ladybug would never go along with this, that's why you didn't tell her)_

The Guardian might need some convincing, but if there was no more Hawk Moth, then there was no more need for whatever secrecy imposed upon the Miraculous holders. Adrien didn't know why his father was after the Ladybug and the Black Cat Miraculous… but those were clearly the key. He was even about to just _ask_ Young Adrien for the Black Cat, and then he would have both Miraculous and things would be solved. They had to resolve the issue of the multiple Tikkis, but that was a problem that could wait to be solved.

It was a shame that everything went to hell pretty much right after he got here.

He never expected that changing his past would affect him so much. Bunnyx had warned him that she couldn't guarantee things would go as he expected since he was monkeying with the past and in addition to things not going to plan… he had to set other things right, too.

Every time he died, his brain came back just a _little_ off. He could brush aside the early one, since his mission was just getting started. But as things changed _here_, things in his mind were fading as quickly as he himself did on top of Montparnasse Tower.

They had stopped Hawk Moth. But Gabriel Agreste was in jail, and Adrien couldn't do a thing about that. He wasn't from the timeline

_(so he didn't exist)_

and therefore didn't have any influence over the Paris police. Young Adrien might, but Young Adrien was too, well, _young_ to know what to do, and Adrien couldn't just guide him along without tipping his hand. Did he even do the right thing in putting Gabriel away? Why didn't he just go to his father and say "Oh, I have the Ladybug Miraculous, and I know exactly where to get the Black Cat"? That would have stopped Hawk Moth, prevented Ladybug's akumatization, _and_ gotten Mother back.

He couldn't trust his Father though.

(_he can't trust himself, either_)

Mother was _here_. He was sure of it.

And so he searched. He ransacked what few papers were left. He crawled every inch of the floor, searching for some clue, some break in the pattern, some seam in the polished marble. He longed for Plagg so he could transform and use his heightened cat senses to hear, see, or smell anything he normally wouldn't.

Or maybe he could just Cataclysm the whole damn thing down.

* * *

At 11:45, he trudged out of the mansion and towards the Louvre Pyramid, where he had waited for the past few days for Marinette and Bunnyx to get him and bring him back. How could he face them, telling them that they had lost? Were they even in the same future that he had left them, since things had changed so much? He had gotten Young Adrien and Young Marinette together, so hopefully they were still together in the future… Was she even _alive?_ Was _Bunnyx _alive? Were they even _coming_?

And would they even _want_ him?

What was it that the _Ladyblog_ article said the other day? _Useless?_

The bells at Notre Dame sounded noon once more and Adrien watched for a portal to open up. Instead, he heard the familiar _whirr_ of a yo-yo string, and Ladybug appeared at the base of the pyramid.

"Not today, huh?"

Adrien flipped up the collar of his tracksuit and drew his knees closer to his chest. He didn't know why Ladybug had decided to taunt him mercilessly over the last few days. Maybe she was still mad about his offer to keep her at the warehouse, away from her family. Maybe she was flaunting that she was dating his younger self and not him. Maybe she thought his role in the battle at Tour Montparnasse wasn't big enough. Maybe… maybe he really _was_ useless.

An adult Ladybug appeared seemingly out of thin air and stood next to her younger counterpart. She didn't look like _that_, did she? Adrien's memory was fractured enough, could he not even remember how the woman he was in love with _looked_?

She was saying something. "You must have screwed up big time to wind up here, like this. Look at you, with the Ladybug Miraculous. What have you managed to create? Who have you managed to save? _Useless_. That's all you are."

Adrien squinted his eyes shut and slammed his hands over his ears. It wasn't true! None of it. He _was_ a hero. He _was_ good with the Ladybug Miraculous. He _had_ saved people - Marinette being one of them. He _was_ useful.

Right?

Who was he kidding?

He opened his eyes slightly only to see a figure wearing an orange fox suit with purple accents standing over him with an open jar in her hand. Suddenly, everything went fuzzy as he felt a mental door open in his mind.

* * *

Mariposa felt her way through the psychic link that was created between her and Mister Bug. What was there that she could use for herself? There were the seeds she had planted over the past few days, and she could work with those… but was there anything else?

There was a door in his mind that was firmly locked… she tried the handle and it wouldn't budge. But just outside the door, there was frustration, confusion, uselessness… a lack of success. A fruitless search. Deep, profound loneliness. And, strangely enough… _Marinette Dupain-Cheng? That_ was interesting. If Marinette were somehow wrapped up in this, she could rid herself of her two biggest foes at once.

* * *

_\- I am Mariposa_. _And you… you can be useful, after all. The city's rejected you, failed superhero. Give them what they deserve._

_\- I'm not failed! I did what I came to do!_

_\- *Did* you? Why do you feel so lonely? So empty inside? You might have prevented one person from getting akumatized, but in the long run you've done more harm than good, didn't you?_

_\- I've done good!_

_\- What happened to the Butterfly? You couldn't keep that from falling out of your clumsy fingers! What happened to the Fox? Your friend lost it as a direct result of you losing the Butterfly. And now… instead of stopping a reign of terror, you've ushered a whole *new* one in. For someone with the Ladybug miraculous, the only thing you've created is more chaos. Maybe you should have been Chat Noir instead of Ladybug. Destruction might suit you better._

_A mental scream of rage and frustration._

_\- I can help you fix this. All of this. Free you from this prison you've created for yourself._

_\- I don't believe you!_

_\- You've seen what Ladybug has to say about it. Useless. Not worth it. Let me help you fix this._

_\- ...can you?_

_\- My friend, would I lie to you?_

* * *

Black-and-purple bubbles boiled over the man known as Mister Bug. Mariposa stepped back to admire her handiwork. She absentmindedly played with the Fox Miraculous hanging around her neck as she looked her creation up and down.

Sticking out of the mop of blond hair were two antennae. The Ladybug mask, once bright, had settled into a dark caricature of itself. Two fang-like extensions ran along his cheeks to frame the long sides of his face. Bolt-like, rusted maroon accents slashed down from the upper corners of the mask and ran downward across the eyes to gather on either side of his nose, extending down the sharp fangs. The eyes that peered through the openings in the mask were a soulless, stark white, and the fangs bordered the space where his mouth should have been.

The track suit had been replaced by a black one-piece bodysuit that conjured up deep, starless nights. The details of the suit were the same color as the accents on the mask. A collar ran behind his neck to the height of his ears, while thick stripes came from over his shoulders to meet below his chest. They extended down to the base of his long torso. The darkened yo-yo rested on his waist in its usual place, mocking the proper order of things.

His forearm bore covers with three spiked fins on each arm, coated in the same color as the rest of his suit, and those sharp protrusions were mimicked on the insides of the lower legs. Thin stripes started at the outside of his hips, running down the front of his legs to join the coloring that washed down his lower legs. He bore no additional color from the knees down, as if he had waded through a pool of rusted blood.

Not bad. Or, she should say, bad in the _best_ way.

"Hello, Fire Ant." She giggled to herself, then cackled long and loud.

* * *

Mariposa heard the Miraculous she was wearing chirp. She didn't need much time to finish what she needed to do here. She reached inside Fire Ant's collar and tugged a small loop inside until it broke. The purple-and-black butterfly flew out and the black magic boiled over him once again, leaving him as he was before.

He shook his head and looked up at her, anger and disbelief in his eyes.

"..._You!_ You're behind all of this!"

"What are you going to do? Tell Ladybug of yet _another _failure? Just remember, I've got my eye… _and _my finger on you now. Don't do _anything_ to attract the akuma again, or Paris is going to see just _how bad_ things can get. You should go to wherever you scurry off to, bug. And remember.. _Mariposa_ is watching." She ran her fingers down his right arm and winked at him before leaping off into the distance.

* * *

Adrien shuddered and stared at his arm as if her fingers had left a trail of slime on his sleeve.

He wiped his eyes with his other sleeve. Even though he had dealt with countless akumatized victims personally, that was the first time he had been akumatized himself. It wasn't a pleasant feeling… it was like someone had barged into his mind and took it over, leaving himself as a non-participating spectator in his own body. Akuma victims generally didn't remember what they did while they were akumatized, and Adrien understood why now. It's like they weren't even _present_ for it once they allowed the akuma to take hold of them.

He had _really_ screwed up now.

"Tikki," he hissed. "You're going to have to tell Ladybug what happened."

* * *

Unnoticed by anybody, a purple-and-black butterfly flew away toward the top of the Eiffel Tower. It sat there for a few seconds, its wings fluttering in the breeze.

Suddenly, as if a portal to another dimension was opened, dozens of butterflies poured out of the first akuma and took to the Paris sky. One by one, they alighted on frightened citizens, turning them into mute, immobile copies of Fire Ant.


	31. No Time Like the Present

Class was about to be back in session after lunch, and Marinette was humming a song from the _Kitty Section_ playlist just loudly enough for Adrien to hear when she felt her purse bumping against her thigh repeatedly. She raised her hand and asked to be excused to the restroom, where she barricaded herself in a stall.

"Tikki, what is it? You've never needed to talk to me this badly before."

"It's Adrien, Marinette. Something happened and he asked me to tell you. You should probably sit down."

Marinette looked around the stall, shrugged, then sat down on the toilet. "Adrien? Like, my Adrien or Mister Bug Adrien? What happened, Tikki?"

"Mister Bug. He was akumatized. Mariposa has been working on him for the past couple of days, apparently, and he finally hit his breaking point. He hasn't been talking to me about how he's feeling, otherwise I could have prevented it! He's usually so positive and optimistic… and she just sneaked up on him. Marinette, you're going to have to be careful!"

"So wait, is he akumatized _now?_ How did you escape? Did you purify the akuma? Did _he_ somehow purify the akuma?"

"He's not akumatized now, no. I don't know how he was freed, but I don't remember any akuma being purified. Mariposa could have done it herself, or…"

Marinette knew all too well what the alternative was. Her mind flashed back to Stoneheart and the dozens of stone golems overtaking Paris due to the akuma multiplying. That was her first battle as Ladybug. There was no telling what an akumatized Ladybug holder would be like… so she hoped that any battle against Adrien wouldn't be her _last_ battle as Ladybug. "I need to see him."

"Marinette! It's too don't know what you're going to find if you visit him! What if he gets akumatized again? You can't risk it!"

"Tikki, I'm probably the _only person he has_ \- I can't risk _Paris_ over this! I don't know how to free multiple akumas, but if I have to go one-by-one and do it, I will! And maybe I can get him to help, too! Let's go! Tikki! _Spots on!_"

Marinette transformed and zipped out the locker room window, headed towards the Agreste warehouse.

* * *

Ladybug landed and de-transformed, not even bothering to hide in an alley. She rapped on the door until it moved.

Adrien peeked out through the crack in the door. "I knew you were coming here. Look… it's not safe for you to be around me right now."

"Not _safe? _What are you talking about?"

"You're all Paris has right now. If something happens to you, then we've just got a repeat of what happened to cause me to come back here…" He shuddered.

Marinette budged her way into the door and put her hand on his shoulder. "Adrien, we'll get through this _together_. OK? You don't have to go through this by yourself."

"Marinette, you don't understand. This is _exactly_ what I came back in time to prevent. And instead, I _caused it_. First I lost the Butterfly, then there's all this stuff with Father and Mother, and I keep _dying_…"

_He's spiraling._ Marinette practically leaped into his arms - he was almost as tall as her father - and started running her fingers through his hair, much like she had done earlier in the morning with his present-day counterpart. Knowing Adrien so well now had its advantages, she realized: she knew what calmed him down and hopefully that would soothe him. "Hey… hey… it's OK."

He held her for a minute until his breathing settled. "You need to go see Master Fu."

"Will he be able to help with everything you're going through? Need a counselor or something? Some of his famous tea?"

He stepped back and paced. "No, you don't understand. You're going to have to get the team ready. I'm a ticking time bomb right now, and relying on my emotions to save Paris isn't safe."

"But… but what about _you?_ Who's going to be watching over you?"

"I will be. Breathing exercises. Music. Things like that. Now get to Fu and get ready. Once the team is assembled, then we can work together on purifying all of the other akumas out there. I don't know what Mariposa used for my akumatized object, so I can't be of much help there… just…" His electric green eyes met hers. "Good luck. I'm sorry to say that you're going to need it."

He held the door open for her.

She transformed and put her hand on Mister Bug's elbow. "Don't worry, Adrien, we'll get you out of this." She ran out the door and threw her yo-yo to the sky, heading for Master Fu's.

* * *

Ladybug knocked on the door of Master Fu's apartment and waited. Master Fu opened the door and exclaimed! "Hello! It's a surprise to see you here. Please come in and wait in the waiting area, I am finishing up with another client at the moment." He held the door open and gestured to a small chair behind a screen. He held a finger up to his mouth. "Please give me a few minutes."

She nodded and went behind the screen, but was too nervous to sit down for any amount of time. She heard Master Fu finishing up with his client and not-so-subtly ushering them out the door. He peered around the screen. "Now, Ladybug. What can I do for you? It must be very urgent for you to come here in your costumed identity."

"Look, Master." She took out her yo-yo and called up the TVI news broadcast. As she expected, Nadja Chamack was doing a special report on the akumas appearing throughout the city. Ladybug shuddered at the appearance. "They look so creepy standing still… I'd hate to see what they do when they wake up."

"Agreed, Ladybug. You are going to have to disable either these akumas, or the main akuma, very quickly. Do you know who it is?"

Her shoulders slumped. "Yes. It's… Adrien. Future Adrien. We'll be one Ladybug Miraculous down if he gets re-akumatized. He's terrified." Her voice fell. "So am I."

"Relax, Marinette. There are very few things you will not be able to overcome. This is not one of them. Do you have a plan?"

"I do. I'll need some Miraculous and build up my team."

"That is a good plan." He walked over to the credenza and got the Miracle Box from its hidden compartment in the gramophone. He set the box in front of Ladybug and opened it. "Which Miraculous will you take?"

"I have a good idea about a couple of them, but I want to get your opinion."

"I am listening, Ladybug."

She picked up the Bee Miraculous. "I know we talked about Chloé not having an opportunity to use this anymore, but I don't think we can take the risk of her _not_ being Queen Bee at this time, either. I'm not sure if she'll accept it - she's been pretty cold toward me recently - but she's our best chance at someone experienced. What do you think?"

Master Fu hummed. "Ladybug, I trust your judgment. You know Miss Bourgeois on both sides of the mask. If you think she is willing, then by all means. Just - and I hate to say this - please do not lose another Miraculous. You know more than anybody else at this point how dangerous it can be."

"I do, Master. And… that leads me to my next question. Rena Rouge had the Fox Miraculous taken from her. I was thinking about bringing an extra Miraculous along for her to replace the one she had taken from her, but I'm not sure if she's mentally recovered enough to wield another Miraculous. Plus, she'll be inexperienced with one. I'm not going to bring an extra for her, but she is my 'Plan B' -" she chuckled "- in case Chloé doesn't want the comb."

"I think that's very wise of you, Marinette. What else?"

"The only Miraculous I really know something about right now is the Rabbit, but since we're expecting Bunnyx to show up any day now, I don't want to risk having another Miraculous collision like we've been having with the Ladybugs. But… rather than powers, I do have a couple of people in mind that would be good fits for the Miraculous. I think they'll be able to make whatever I give them work."

"Are you sure, Ladybug?"

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life, Master Fu." She selected two Miraculous from the Miracle Box and stowed them in her yo-yo, along with the Bee Miraculous.

"Those are interesting choices, Marinette. I am excited to see what you do with them."

"Me too, Master. Thank you for your time." She stood and waited for Master Fu to replace the miracle box, then left, spinning her yo-yo in the direction of the school. If she hurried, she might be able to catch the last bit of class before the bell rung.

* * *

Marinette ran into the classroom with about forty-five minutes left in the school day, ignoring the tutting from Ms. Bustier. The three Miraculous she had with her were burning a hole in her purse, but she couldn't give them out just yet without arousing suspicion. She bounced her leg and did her best to focus on the lesson - math? She honestly wasn't sure. The only thing she was interested in was the clock finally reaching dismissal time after what seemed like an eternity.

Adrien turned around a couple of times to look at her bouncing leg, then rummaged in his satchel.

Marinette barely felt the buzzing in her purse with how much her leg was moving. She reached in and pulled out her phone, sticking it in her lap.

**[Adrien] Everything OK? You were gone a while and now you look like you can't wait to leave.**

**[Marinette] Oh! Um yeah everything's fine, just something with lunch that didn't agree with me. I'll be good, thank you for checking on me, you're so sweet**

**[Adrien] Of course. I have a quick thing after school but if you need anything please let me know**

**[Marinette] thanks!**

She suppressed a squeal and stuffed her phone back into her purse. Her leg had stopped bouncing, and she rested her chin in her hands and stared at whatever it was on the blackboard.

The bell rang after another small eternity, and Marinette stuffed her schoolwork haphazardly into her backpack, then bolted out the door and to the bakery. She glanced at her parents, and ran up to her room. It was almost time.

She pulled her Chat-phone out and fired off a quick message.

**[Ladybug] Hey, I have some urgent business to take care of as Ladybug, and I need to hear your story about the fake Ladybug. We should probably do what I need to do as a team. Can you meet me at the Hotel Grand Paris in five minutes?**

**[Chat Noir] Of course, my Lady. Lobby or roof?**

**[Ladybug] Roof. See you then.**

Marinette transformed and made her way through the Paris skies to the rooftop of the Bourgeois hotel. As she expected, Chat Noir was already there. He only had a few feet to travel, after all.

"What brings you here today, my Lady?"

"We're getting reinforcements. I'll explain afterwards. I thought you'd like to be here for this one. And besides, I'll probably need your help. Care to do the honors?" She reached in her yo-yo and pulled out a small runed box.

"I'd love to!" He took the box from Ladybug and walked over to the balcony door. He rapped a short pattern on it, then stepped back and started whistling.

* * *

Chloé stalked over to the door and opened it. She wasn't expecting any visitors, and Ladybug and Chat Noir being here together probably meant trouble, given how they never bothered with social calls. "What are you doing _here_? Haven't you seen the news? Don't you have Paris to save?"

"Actually, _Queen Bee_, we're here _because_ we have Paris to save. But before we get started, the password, please."

Chloé rolled her eyes. "You're not here to protect me, why do I need to give the password?"

Ladybug held up her hand. "You'll see. Please, Chloé?"

"_The cat's pajamas._ I'll _never_ forgive you for choosing such an _utterly ridiculous_ password, either, Chat Noir."

Chat snickered. "Thanks, Chloé." He held out a runed box. "I have something for you!"

"_It's about time!_" Chloé snatched the box from Chat's hand and opened it.

In a flash of yellow light, Pollen materialized. She bowed deeply. "It's good to see you, my Queen."

"Hello, Pollen! It's been a long time, no thanks to _Ladybug_ over there."

Ladybug, for all of her faults, had the decency to look ashamed. She traced a line on the ground in front of her with her foot. "Chloé, we probably should have gotten you earlier, and I'm sorry. You're one of our last hopes. Are you ready?"

Chloé pinned the comb into her hair, relishing the pressure she felt — both of the weight of the Miraculous and the responsibility of being Queen Bee. She had waited a long time for this moment, and she refused to disappoint. She called for her transformation and welcomed the energy washing over her. _This_ is what she was born for.

"I'm ready, Ladybug. What's the plan?"

Ladybug gestured to her partner. "Chat? Why don't you fill both of us in on last night?"

Chat took a deep breath and told Ladybug and Queen Bee about his encounter with the person posing as Ladybug the previous night on the Eiffel Tower.

Ladybug frowned and tapped her chin. "OK, there's a fake Ladybug. How is she getting the powers?"

"Since she touched me, she couldn't be using the Fox Miraculous. Maybe last night was an akuma?"

Queen Bee put her hands on her hips. "Wait, are both the Fox and Butterfly Miraculous missing? What about Rena Rouge? What about the battle on the Eiffel Tower? You don't mean to tell me that all the crap Lila wrote in the _Ladyblog_ was _true?!_"

Chat fidgeted. "Not entirely, but yes, those two Miraculous are missing."

Ladybug held up her hand. "That's an interesting thought about it being an akuma… now the only question left is if they akumatized someone else, or if they akumatized themselves to impersonate me." She looked at Chloé. "That's why we needed to do the password again. We can't be 100% sure who's who these days, especially since your identity is publicly known."

"That makes sense, Ladybug, even though the password is still ridiculous."

Chat started bouncing on his feet. "Actually, the password is _the cat's_…" He was cut off by Ladybug elbowing him in the side. Chloé would never figure out _how _Ladybug put up with him.

"So, anyway, Ladybug… the plan? Do we have one? Do we know where to start with all the akumas?"

"Yes, actually… that's Mister Bug."

"_Mister Bug?! _ We're down another Miraculous holder? And one with the magic yo-yo?!" Chloé took a deep breath and blew it out. "So, between Mister Bug getting akumatized, a fake Ladybug going around, and two missing Miraculous, we're going to have our hands full. _Why_ didn't you call on me earlier?"

"We're fixing that now, Queen Bee. Keep your eyes peeled - we'll come get you when we need you. Or if you notice anything, don't wait for us."

"You can count on me, Ladybug!" Queen Bee gave a short salute, then walked over to where her spotlight was on the balcony. She plugged it in and announced "Paris is saved! Beware, evildoers! Queen Bee is _back_!"

* * *

Ladybug looked at Chat and smiled. "I've got two more packages to drop off, but I can handle that myself. You think you can keep Queen Bee company for a bit?" Normally, asking Adrien to hang out with Chloé would give her hives, but she knew that he could probably use the company and wasn't too far from where he was staying. Besides… the next two Miraculous to give out were going to be tricky, and she needed some time to think about how exactly she was going to do it.

Chat nodded and smiled. "Keep me in the loop, my Lady."

She returned his smile and cast her yo-yo, then swung away.

* * *

Ladybug swung back to her rooftop and climbed down her skylight before de-transforming. With Chat and Chloé on board, she only had two Miraculous left to deliver. With her hand on her purse, she went down to the bakery, grabbed an apron, and helped her parents through the afternoon rush until dinnertime. When the bakery was finally closed, the door locked, and the shades drawn, Tom, Sabine, and Marinette went upstairs to the living room.

"Marinette, you've been uncharacteristically quiet tonight. Is something the matter?" Her mother raised an eyebrow.

"Sabine's right, honey, you've been all business. What's going on?"

Marinette paused. "OK, first, we need to make sure we are who we say we are. Passphrase on three."

Her parents nodded.

"One… two… three!"

"_Soup's on_" the Dupain-Cheng family chorused. Marinette blew a sigh of relief.

"Good." She stood up and locked the door, then walked over to the couch and held out her hand. "Please, sit down."

Her parents took a seat and looked up at her expectantly.

Marinette paced in front of the couch. "Mom? Dad? Ladybug needs your help. You've seen the news about the akumas?"

Tom and Sabine nodded.

"We don't know when they're going to come to life, and we don't know what they do, or how many there are going to be when all is said and done. Chat Noir and I need help. We have Carapace, Queen Bee, and that's pretty much it."

Sabine leaned forward and put her hands on her knees. "OK, honey… but how can we help? Do you need a hideout? Food? Extra beds?"

"Actually, I'm going to need something a lot more straightforward than that. And a lot more difficult." She steeled herself, then reached into her purse and pulled out two runed boxes. "Mom… Dad…" She handed a box each to her parents. "You've always been superheroes to me. Now, I need you to be superheroes for all of Paris. Will you do that for me, please?"

Sabine opened her box. A bright yellow ball swam out of it and swirled in front of Sabine's face. She shielded her eyes, and when the light faded, a dark magenta kwami was floating in front of her. The kwami had light orange eyes and two pointed white teeth. It also had round black tiger-like ears, three vertical black stripes on the top of its head, and a whisker on each cheek. It had a long tail with a round black tip and two black stripes below the tip.

"Greetings, my name is Roaar, and I'm the kwami of the Tiger Miraculous. The Tiger grants you the power of elusion and stealth. All you have to do is put on the bracelet and say _Roaar, stripes on!_ when you want to transform."

"Honey, are you sure about this?" She looked up at Marinette and blinked.

"Mom, I remember how you were during that TV show." She squatted down and put her hand on her mother's. "You almost took out that TV producer with a pizza peel! You'll be fine."

Sabine laughed. "I almost forgot about that! OK, you're right. I'll do my best." She looked over at her husband. "Tom? Are you going to open your box?"

Marinette's father was seated next to his wife, staring at the box in his hands like it was going to spontaneously break if he moved. His eyes were wide, and his mustache trembled.

"Dad?"

Tom sniffled and wiped his eye. "Honey… for these past few months I've been watching Ladybug, the hero of Paris, save the city from everything Hawk Moth could throw at her and then some. And not only do I find out last week that the hero I've been watching highlight reels of is my _daughter_… but she _thinks I'm able to be a superhero too._ You're wrecking your poor dad, honey. I've got to be the proudest person in Paris right now!" He waved the box. "So what is this? Super baker?"

Marinette grinned. "Open it and find out!"

Tom did so. A blue ball of light flew out of the box. It disappeared, revealing a grayish-blue miniature Ox with narrow black eyes.

"Babe, it's a blue ox! Look at this!" He clapped his hands, clearly pleased.

"My name is _Stompp_, human. I am the kwami of the Ox Miraculous. The Ox Miraculous grants the wielder strength, durability, and a powerful punch. You must wear the ring and say _Stompp, let's rumble!_ in order to activate the powers."

"Hang on, I'm going to need a superhero name before we go any further! How about… Bakerox! No, that's too close to my dad when he was akumatized. Battle Cattle? No, that's silly. Daddybug? Is that too obvious? Sabine, what's your name going to be?"

Sabine rolled her eyes. "Tom, is that really the most important thing you can think of right now?"

"Um… yes?"

"Well, if that matters that much to you, my superhero name will be Laohu." She looked at Roaar, who smiled at her.

"Chinese for _tiger_. I like it. Huh… I don't know, unless I can think of anything else, it's going to be Battle Cattle, and I'm not sure Marinette is going to want to yell that out in the middle of a fight."

Marinette groaned before breaking into a fit of giggles. "OK, well, we can talk about that over dinner or something. You mentioned _soup's on_ earlier… and I'm starving! Let me just send a quick text and we can sit down and eat." She pulled out her Chat-phone.

**[Ladybug] Packages delivered. Here's hoping we don't need them soon. Have a good night, Kitty.**

**[Chat Noir] Goodnight, my Lady. =^.^=**

She switched phones and sent another text message.

**[Marinette] Hey, hope your night is going well and you haven't been going too stir-crazy. I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning, hot stuff xoxo**

**[Adrien] I'm doing good. Hope you are too. See you tomorrow ;)**

* * *

Adrien got up from his cot and splashed some water on his face. The sun was already shining through the windows of the warehouse. He had survived the night. Just a few more hours, and Bunnyx would open the portal for him to return. He could give the Miraculous back to Marinette, and she could come here and clean up the akuma mess.

The akuma mess that _he_ had made.

Assuming that they were even _coming_ for him…

He shook his head and splashed more water on his face. He couldn't afford to spiral again. He had barely escaped the last one, and that was only because Marinette had shown up. He didn't have that luxury this time.

He just had to focus and stay positive. _Breathe. _He could do this.

He could do this.

He threw his tracksuit and mask on and began his familiar route through the alleyways to get his breakfast and morning newspaper. He turned the first corner and was greeted by an immobile Fire Ant.

_Here?_

He shuddered and quickly moved past the Fire Ant, not looking over his shoulder. He broke into a run and didn't stop until he got to the grocery store. He pulled open the back door to grab a piece of fruit…

...and was met by yet another immobile Fire Ant.

He nearly dropped the banana he had grabbed, staggered backwards, and tripped over some crates. He quickly picked himself up and blindly sprinted down the alleyway, looking back periodically as if he were being chased. He cornered at random, the vision of endless Fire Ants pursuing him.

He finally emerged from the network of alleyways across from the Louvre, where the area around the pyramid was teeming with Fire Ants.

Adrien fell to his knees. _Look at them all. We are so screwed. And this is all my fault._

He didn't see the butterfly coming.


	32. Crunch Time (Part One)

It was Wednesday morning, and Wednesday mornings in Ms. Bustier's class meant French History class. Marinette scribbled some notes on her tablet as the teacher spoke, but constantly stole glances around the room at the other students; specifically, Adrien, Alya, Chloe, and Nino. Thankfully, they were easy to keep an eye on. Adrien was studiously taking notes, but Marinette could tell from his posture that he was far from relaxed. Alya was doodling on her tablet. Nino was bobbing his head and scribbling on his tablet, but Marinette couldn't see exactly what he was working on. Chloe, for her part, looked unperturbed. She was reading a magazine while Sabrina took notes next to her.

A siren of over a dozen phone alerts caused everybody to jump at once.

"OK, class, that's obviously an akuma. Please be alert for further instructions." Ms. Bustier walked over to her desk and pulled up her phone, then gasped.

Principal Damocles's voice crackled over the school PA system. "Attention students, there is a large-scale akuma attack in progress. We are canceling school for the remainder of the day so students and teachers can shelter safely. Please proceed immediately to the designated akuma shelter in the basement of the school and await the all-clear."

The students started gathering their belongings while Ms. Bustier clapped her hands. "Quickly, everyone!"

Lila, the coward, didn't need to be told twice. She sprinted out the door, nearly knocking over Nathaniel in the process.

The majority of the rest of the class filed out, leaving Marinette, Sabrina, and Chloe behind. Ms. Bustier stood at the open door and made motions to the stairwell. "Please, you three, I'm not going to ask again. This is a serious emergency! I'm sure you've all seen the news and know what kind of akuma this is."

Chloé responded by transforming into Queen Bee. "As you can see, I am _needed_. Sabrina, take my things to the shelter. I hope to get this over with quickly." She threw her trompo out the window and leaped after it.

"Well then… good luck!" Ms. Bustier called after her. "Marinette? Sabrina? Please, follow me."

"Yes, Ms. Bustier." Sabrina picked up Chloe's things and ran out the door as a loud rumbling noise came from outside.

A flash of inspiration struck Marinette. "Ms. Bustier? I live right across the street and am concerned for my parents. May I go there, please?"

Ms. Bustier frowned. "Marinette, while you are at school, you are my responsibility and I don't think it's very wise for you to…"

Marinette didn't stay long enough to hear the rest. "OK, thanks, bye!" She bolted out of the room, down the stairs, and out of the school. There was loud chattering from the crowd of students attempting to get into the akuma shelter. She heard footsteps behind her and the front door of the school opening and closing repeatedly, but she was in a hurry and couldn't pay it any mind.

* * *

Marinette entered the bakery, and her father locked the door behind her and lowered the blinds.

"I take it this is our time to shine, yes?" Tom's face was serious, but a smile played at the corners of his mouth.

"That's right! Are you ready?" Marinette made a face similar to the face she made when she was about to annihilate her father at Ultimate Mecha Strike III.

Sabine came into the bakery from the back and handed Tom one of the runed boxes she was carrying. She opened the other box and put the bracelet on. When Roaar appeared, Sabine took a deep breath. "Are you ready, Roaar?"

The kwami turned a backflip. "I'm always ready to go play!"

"Great! Roaar, _stripes on!_"

There was a magenta flash of light and Sabine was outfitted in a sleek magenta bodysuit with darker stripes across the back. A magenta domino mask crossed her face, leaving her eyes yellow and feline-looking, not unlike Chat Noir's. Sharp claws appeared at the ends of her fingers, and a length of rope with a dart on the end of it wrapped around her waist, giving the impression of a tail.

"Wow… Mo… um, _Laohu_, you look fantastic!" She turned to look at her father, who had opened the box but was frowning at it. "Dad, is everything OK?"

"This ring." He took it out of the box and held it up. "It won't go on any of my fingers. How am I supposed to wear it?"

Stompp rolled his eyes. "The ring goes on your _nose_, human. Have you never seen an ox before?"

Tom looked at the kwami and blinked. He pulled the ring apart and hooked it onto his septum. "I guess this will have to work! Being a superhero is definitely _not_ as glamorous as I would have thought. Stompp, let's rumble!"

There was a flash of blue light. When it cleared, Tom was revealed to be wearing a blue domino mask, a blue bodysuit with a short tail, grey ox horns, and a dark blue glove on his right hand.

"Well, honey, you look every bit like the superhero you are!" Laohu smiled, and there was a definite twinkle in her cat eyes. "Did you ever think of a name?"

"Uh… I think that I'm going to be called _The Ox_. Simple and to the point. Besides, if we have a Ladybug and a Chat Noir, then it's perfectly acceptable for me to just have an animal name! And speaking of Ladybug…" The Ox gestured to Marinette, who was standing there with a dazed look on her face.

"Oh! Yes, you're absolutely right! _Spots on!_" Marinette transformed, and the three superheroes stood in the bakery.

"Well… Mom, Dad… are you ready?"

Laohu held out a hand. "Ladybug, you need to remember that out of the suits, we may be your mother and father, but in costume, you're the one in charge. We'll follow your lead and your direction. You're _Ladybug_, and we're novices. OK?"

"Yes, M… Laohu. I'll remember that. Thanks."

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go save Paris!" The Ox maneuvered his large bulk through the bakery and out the back door, and from there out to the street. They leaped up to the rooftops and ran to the Louvre, where Carapace, Chat Noir, and Queen Bee were already waiting.

"I've brought reinforcements, guys! Meet The Ox and Laohu!" Ladybug called out, and the six heroes took refuge on top of one of the Louvre's buildings so they could get a feel for the setting. "What have you all seen? Any hints as to what the akuma's powers are?"

Chat Noir answered. "Um… well, he has no mouth so he doesn't speak. He doesn't appear to have irises or pupils, so I don't know how he sees. He appears to communicate with his antennae, but nobody here's capable of understanding him… except the other akumas. They've lined up a few times to move from place to place." He squinted in the direction of the plaza. "It looks like there are about one hundred of them here… maybe more."

Ladybug looked at Chat and frowned. _Poor Adrien. _"Does he have an attack?"

Carapace chimed in. "Not that we've been able to see, yet. Mostly they've just been terrorizing people. If they see an intruder, they break their line and swarm them, then pick them up and carry them off."

"Hmm… like an ant, then." The Ox mused.

"That's right! He's gone from a _bug_… to an _ant!_ If I get my hands on Mariposa…" Ladybug trailed off. If this was the apocalypse that Adrien had warned her about, then she needed to be more level-headed about it. Getting angry at people wasn't going to be productive. Besides, Adrien had saved her personally from being akumatized; it was the least she could do to try to save him. She needed information, and she couldn't ask anyone else to do this. "Stay here, I'll be right back." She leaped down to the plaza before anyone could protest.

As she expected, as soon as she landed, a group of five akumas turned toward her. Ladybug noticed their antennae twitching and did her best to keep the shudder rising at the small of her back at bay. As she was quickly surrounded by five akumas, she tried to get a better look at how they were communicating. She was more than a little creeped out by their slowly-moving antennae. As they lifted her up and carried her to the perimeter of the plaza, she tried desperately to ignore the lack of control she felt and remember her natural science lessons from a few years ago. Ants communicate with their antenna. They smelled with them, too. She couldn't decide if it was instinct or some sort of telepathy that was causing them to clear the plaza, but that was certainly their current objective. The ants set her down near an alley.

"Psst!" Someone signaled Ladybug.

She walked over to the alley and gasped. "_Alya!_ What are you _doing_ here?! You're not safe! _Please_ tell me you're not here getting a scoop for the _Ladyblog_."

"Actually, Ladybug, I know now's not the time, but I need to apologize. And I hope I can make it up to you. I'll stay here, safe and out of sight, but if you need me, please let me know. I want to help." Her eyes met Ladybug's, and Ladybug knew that there was going to be no stopping her.

"I'll keep that in mind. Stay safe." She cast her yo-yo and pulled herself back to the rooftop where the rest of the heroes were waiting.

"Ladybug, what was _that?_" Laohu sounded aghast, pointing her finger. She quickly dropped it and spoke more quietly. "I mean… what did you find out?"

Ladybug recounted her thoughts to the group.

"They sound pretty passive… let's maybe pair up and try to find where the akumatized object is? Or maybe the real ant? How are we even going to _find_ him, anyway?"

The group discussion was interrupted by a figure in purple landing on the pyramid in the center of the plaza. The person was definitely taking inspiration from Volpina's costume, with a purple mask and cape added to the ensemble.

"Hello, _heroes_, I am _Mariposa!_ I see you've already met my Fire Ant. Prepare to be _destroyed!_"

"If that's not Lila Rossi, I'll eat my staff." Chat Noir's voice was filled with so much venom that the other heroes looked at him, astonished.

_Lila!_ That made a lot of sense. Lila hated Ladybug and probably the rest of the heroes too. She was sneaky and slimy, and Ladybug wouldn't put it past her to steal a Miraculous or two to wreak havoc on Paris.

"Oh good, I was meaning to punch her in the face at some point. Let's see what we can do about that ant army!" Queen Bee yelled and leaped down to the plaza, where she was surrounded by three Fire Ants. She rounded one up with her trompo, but when she leaped on its back it became decidedly _less_ passive. Its costume turned black and red glowing spots appeared.

"Queen Bee, get off of there! We don't know what's going to happen!"

The Fire Ant that Queen Bee was climbing on started moving its antennae furiously. A nearby Fire Ant also turned a deep black with red spots. The ends of the two Fire Ants' antennae were glowing a bright red. The second one unholstered its yo-yo, wrapped Queen Bee up, then fired a blast from the spot on its chest.

Viscous maroon liquid coated Queen Bee, who screamed and fell off the first Fire Ant.

Both Fire Ants stopped glowing, picked up Queen Bee's unmoving body, and started carrying her to the perimeter of the plaza.

Ladybug cast her yo-yo around Queen Bee and pulled her back to the rooftop. She was completely lifeless.

Laohu reached toward Queen Bee, but Chat Noir stopped her. "Don't touch whatever that liquid is!"

A groan from Carapace. "We're already down one hero! This isn't the best start."

Ladybug's voice was steady. "No, we'll get her back. _Miraculous Ladybug!_" Magical ladybugs swarmed Queen Bee, removing the liquid and restoring her.

"Queen Bee, how do you feel?"

"I feel better now. That stuff - as soon as it hit me, I got super dizzy and everything went black. As soon as it touched my suit, even! I don't know how we're going to fight this, Ladybug. This is ridiculous!"

Laohu frowned. "Why didn't the Miraculous Ladybug just fix _everything_?"

"It's because the akumas are still infected by butterflies. We'll have to get them out of each akuma individually in order to defeat them, _and_ we have Mariposa to deal with as well."

Chat Noir pointed his finger at Ladybug. "One's thing's for sure, we can't let you get hit by any of those ants. If you go down, we're toast! This is basically Stoneheart but with a potentially lethal attack. Sorry, Ladybug, you're going to be up here directing traffic. Watch for patterns and save us all if we get in trouble."

The Ox rubbed his hands together eagerly. "Alright, I'm as ready as I'm going to be! Let's see how this works. _Cowabunga!_" He jumped off the roof and ran straight into a crowd of Fire Ants, bowling them over and leaving two laying on the ground in his wake.

Carapace cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled after him. "Dude, that's _totally_ my line! Uh… _Cowabunga!_" He leaped down and ran into a separate crowd of Fire Ants, swinging his shield haphazardly. One of the Fire Ants turned deep black and spit venom on Carapace, but he successfully blocked it with his shield. It slowly oozed off and puddled onto the ground.

* * *

Mariposa stood on the building opposite the plaza from Ladybug. The energy signature surrounding her face was bright enough for Ladybug to see even at that distance. Her laugh was loud and clear enough for Ladybug to hear as well.

With Mariposa at the helm, groups of Fire Ants were operating more on direction than on instinct. Groups of five Fire Ants were converging upon each of the heroes, quartering them while the fifth spit its venom to incapacitate the hero.

"My worker ants! And me! I'm the queen! Look out, Ladybug, my army of ants is coming for you!" The purple energy signature lit up like a neon sign, and fifty Fire Ants began scaling the building, forming a human anthill to boost themselves up to the rooftop.

"Ex-_cuse_ me! _I'm_ the only Queen here!" Queen Bee yelled up at Mariposa before knocking a Fire Ant in the head with her trompo. It fell motionless, but another one quickly reeled Queen Bee in with its yo-yo and smothered her in venom again.

Ladybug cast her yo-yo down and smacked the closest Fire Ant between the eyes with it. _Sorry, Adrien…_

The Fire Ant quickly darkened and shot venom at her yo-yo.

Ladybug retracted her yo-yo. That was too close, and she needed to be more careful.

A shield clanked off the top of the building, causing a stack of Fire Ants to lose their balance. The Ox ran along the bottom of the building through the Fire Ants at the base. He was yelling "_Bulldozer!_" More Fire Ants toppled to the ground. One started glowing and fired a venom blast at The Ox, who fell over and was swarmed by Fire Ants.

Ladybug immediately called for her Cure. No matter what her parents thought they signed up for, there was no way on Earth she was going to let them get hurt.

* * *

Ladybug had lost count of the number of Miraculous Ladybugs she had cast during the battle. It was funny - dating Adrien unlocked all this extra power for her, but knowing that it would have made Ladybug more powerful might not have given her the courage to date him any sooner. She caught her yo-yo after yet another Cure, and was grateful that she didn't need to recharge after each one. Tikki would have been exhausted at this point, and the time she would need for Tikki to recharge couldn't be spared.

Suddenly, a blindingly bright white light appeared on top of the Louvre Pyramid. Great - _another_ unknown threat. Something else that she couldn't combat. Her brain went into overdrive, trying to figure out how to best cope with whatever was coming. Each hero was making slow progress against the Fire Ants, knocking one or two out for each Cure that Ladybug was casting. Her brain was short-circuiting against the lack of options that she had. She was going to need - _wait_.

Two figures came through the white light. One was wearing a black-and-green bodysuit and had a long braid trailing from her black hair. The other was tall, with reddish-purple hair and a blue-and-white bodysuit.

_That's… that's Bunnyx! And the other person with her is… *me*?_

The figure in the black-and-green bodysuit was yelling. "Adrien! _Adrien!"_

Ladybug squinted to get a closer look at her. All-black bodysuit with green accents. Staff holstered in the small of her back. Black cat ears with a green outline. So… that was Marinette, _wearing the Black Cat Miraculous?_ Of course, it made sense… if Adrien was wearing the Ladybug, then he would have given the Black Cat to her. He probably even told her that and she forgot. "Over here!" she called, gesturing to her future self.

The two new arrivals ran down the pyramid and bounded over the plaza and landed on the building next to Ladybug.

* * *

Chat Noir spun his staff and incapacitated another Fire Ant. He jumped when he heard someone yelling his name, and quickly bounded away from the battle so he could figure out what was going on. There was a white light fading from the top of the Louvre Pyramid, and two costumed figures he wasn't expecting to see running down the pyramid walls to join the battle.

_Wait a minute… if Mister Bug came back in time with the Ladybug Miraculous, then he must have given my Miraculous to… Ladybug. And the person who's not Bunnyx is Ladybug. And Ladybug is calling my name! My *real* name! So… she knows who I am… she knows who Fire Ant is, at least. And, she's concerned about him. Me. Him-me. Me-him? I wonder if she's dating me. I'm dating Ladybug! I'm… dating Ladybug…_

His eyes found the red-and-black spotted figure perched on top of another building. She was talking with Bunnyx and whatever the other hero was calling herself, who he was _certain_ was Future Ladybug. Ladybug looked comfortable and at ease with her future counterpart.

He thought back to the last time he saw Oldrien. They were on the roof of Le Grand Paris after the Battle of Tour Montparnasse. Oldrien had found out that Ladybug had powered up, congratulated them, and leaped away laughing. Why would he have been so happy?

He knew from Plagg that powering up meant that Ladybug was dating her soulmate.

And Oldrien had congratulated _both of them_.

When he first talked with Oldrien, he had mentioned that he was dating someone, but didn't say who it was. But if Oldrien was happy that Ladybug was dating her soulmate, it stood to reason that he knew who her soulmate was. And if that made him happy… for both of them… then that very, very strongly hinted that he was happy that _Marinette _was dating _Adrien_.

If this were a cartoon, his costume ears would have moved slightly so a light bulb could appear over his head.

_Marinette._ Of course it was. He had it right ever since the class picnic for Heroes Day. _Everyday Ladybug._

_Actual_ Ladybug.

He felt more than heard the record scratch in his mind. _Hang on… if Ladybug is dating her soulmate… and Marinette is Ladybug… and I'm dating Marinette… then Ladybug is my soulmate! _He started bouncing excitedly on his feet.

And if Ladybug could use her powers multiple times because of it, then…

He picked up a small stone and whispered "Cataclysm". The stone in his hand immediately dissolved. He called for his Cataclysm again, and burst into loud laughter when the familiar dark energy bubbles appeared in his hand again.

He bounded off the roof and touched a Fire Ant's yo-yo. It dissolved, and the Fire Ant's spots lit up as he rounded on him. Chat swung his staff like a baseball bat and connected with the side of the Fire Ant's head. It collapsed as the viscous liquid ran slowly out of the spot on its chest.

"Alright, army, let's see how many of you I can take out now! _Cataclysm!_" He let out a war whoop and went from Fire Ant to Fire Ant, disabling as many of the horde as he could.


	33. Crunch Time (Part Two)

"Bunnyx, it's good to see you again." Ladybug shook her hand. "And this is…"

The figure in black smiled. "Um… well, I'm not sure I have a name yet. I'm, well… _you_. But I think you probably figured that out already."

Ladybug nodded. "I sure did. How about _Lady Noire_?"

"Taking your ideas from the _Ladyblog_, huh? I know that's what Alya used to call Chat and I back in the day." She grinned, putting Ladybug at ease. "That's as good a name as anything. OK, so… this is _not_ what we expected to come back to. Adrien was supposed to stop you from getting akumatized and come back… did that happen?"

"He did stop it, at least once."

Bunnyx popped the gum she was chewing. "And that's him out there, right?"

"Right. Fire Ant. The akuma multiplied. I'm not sure how he _got_ that way though. There's a new Butterfly holder who calls herself Mariposa and we haven't been able to pin her down yet. She's actually _here_, somewhere… trying to coordinate the attack. Hang on. _Miraculous Ladybug!_ There, sorry. My job is to keep the other heroes going and purify any butterflies I see."

Lady Noire watched as Carapace and Laohu attempted to corral the Fire Ants into a corner. "That makes sense. I bet you hate it."

"You have _no_ idea."

Lady Noire raised an eyebrow at her.

Ladybug sighed. "OK, you _definitely_ have an idea."

"Bunnyx, let's see what we can do!" Lady Noire stepped to the edge of the roof and pointed to a cluster of unmoving Fire Ants. "I'm going to try to get through to the akuma. Stand by in case I get in trouble."

"Be careful, Lady Noire - they're pretty docile if they don't think you're going to hurt them, but they pack a wallop otherwise."

Lady Noire looked back at her and nodded.

* * *

Lady Noire bounded down to a group of Fire Ants. She was still new enough to the Cat Miraculous that the inherent _sleekness_ of her movement felt disorienting; she'd much rather have the Ladybug. She evaluated the crowd of Fire Ants, who had yet to notice her. If she didn't unsheath her baton, then maybe they wouldn't see her as a threat. The resemblance to Adrien was too much to dismiss, and she could feel goosebumps underneath her costume. When this was fixed, she was going to let Mariposa _have it_ for doing this to her Adrien.

She walked up to one of the Fire Ants. "Adrien, I know you're in there somewhere. Please… let us help you."

The Fire Ant leaned close to her, its antennae twitching.

She held her breath, muscles tense and ready to spring away at the first sign of something going wrong.

It… _He_… leaned closer still. If there had been a nose or mouth, she would have surely felt his breath on her cheek.

An antenna moved forward and started tapping her on the face.

She twitched involuntarily, hoping that it wouldn't set an attack off.

The antenna stopped tapping and slowly caressed her on the cheek.

Lady Noire nearly crawled out of her suit in disgust on the spot. Even if there _were_ a bit of Adrien in there, this… this _perversion_ of his feelings for her couldn't be allowed to continue. She escaped to the nearest rooftop, muscles trembling with fear and anger and the bile in her stomach boiling at what Mariposa had done. No matter what the akumas were in the past, even with she herself being akumatized, nothing had ever felt so personal as this.

Mariposa was going to _pay_.

* * *

Lady Noire leaped to the roof from where Mariposa was guiding the Fire Ants, unsheathed her staff, and stood in an attack pose. "Cats eat butterflies, don't they? Want to find out if this kitty has a prey drive?"

"Oh! _Manners_, whoever you are. I thought heroes had some sort of _code_ where they didn't hurt other people. You should at _least _introduce yourself. Go chase a laser pointer or something, kittycat."

"Your problem, Mariposa, is you keep making fights with heroes _personal_. And personal _never_ wins. I remember you. You were all about power and making other people do what you wanted. But unfortunately your method here is going to be your downfall. You never planned on someone fighting back."

Mariposa smirked. "I'm sure I can handle _you_ just fine."

Mariposa's mask illuminated with an energy signature and Lady Noire felt a yo-yo wrap around her leg. She extended her staff downward blindly and heard a _thunk_ as the staff struck a Fire Ant. The yo-yo released itself, and Lady Noire recaptured her staff. "You were saying?" Her voice dropped dangerously low. "I'm not here to play, Lila. Don't look surprised - I know damn well who you are. And worse for you, I know your weaknesses. You underestimate people. You either write them off as not threats far too early, or you fail to grasp the strength of the bonds you try to fray. I understand Mister Bug about as fully as it's possible to understand another person. I'll save him without any trouble. But more importantly - I understand _you_. _Far_ more than you understand me. I know the fears in the back of your mind. I know that when you strip away the lies, the real Lila is as insubstantial as the illusions you love to cast and dissolves at the slightest touch. I understand that you believe you're the only person in a world full of pawns that move as you command - except for the ones that won't or don't. So, you have the Butterfly. You have an army of willing minions at your beck and call. This is the scariest you can be. Do you want to see the scariest _I_ can be?"

Mariposa blanched and took a step backwards. "I was saying that I can handle you."

"Prove it." Lady Noire advanced on Mariposa, a dangerous gleam in her eye. "Cataclysm, _bitch._"

Mariposa's eyes widened as she saw the black bubbles form in Lady Noire's hand. She staggered backwards and waved her arms. Two yo-yos whirred up from the plaza. One caught Lady Noire around the left arm, another around the right arm.

She cocked her wrist and dissolved one of the yo-yos, then called for Cataclysm again and dissolved the other yo-yo. "_You_ think you can handle _me_?" She summoned another Cataclysm and inspected it, as if addressing the grit underneath her claws. "It's possible to survive one of these if you're transformed." Her voice was cold. "But I'm warning you: it'll hurt like nothing you've ever experienced. Your bones will break, one by one. Your energy will be sucked away from you until you can no longer stand. You'll want to do something - anything - but your body just. Won't. Cooperate. Now… about that prey drive..."

Mariposa ran and jumped to another rooftop, putting as much distance between her and Lady Noire as she could.

A primal yowl escaped Lady Noire's throat as she pursued Mariposa. She extended her staff to leap after her, but a Fire Ant had sneaked up behind her and spit a glob of venom. It caught her on the back, and she had a split-second to scream in frustration before she fell.

* * *

"Where is your cavalry now? Hahahaha! I _will win_!" Mariposa cackled and the energy signature around her face got even brighter. A similar signature illuminated the faces of each Fire Ant in the plaza. Suddenly, Mariposa screamed and the plaza went eerily quiet - all the energy signatures disappeared.

The purple accents from Mariposa's outfit were gone, and Ladybug was able to make out a small purple object floating near her. Mariposa - now Volpina - was picking herself off the rooftop and yelling something unintelligible at the purple…

_Nooroo._ Mariposa had de-transformed for some reason, and was trying to transform back. She took her flute and swung it at the kwami, who easily dodged and floated away.

Nooroo floated up to Ladybug. "I can help. Cover me." And without waiting for a response, he zipped off in the direction of the alley where she had been set down at the beginning of the battle.

"Carapace! Make sure Nooroo doesn't get caught in any crossfire!" Ladybug pointed to where Nooroo currently was.

Carapace saluted and ran off after him, shield at the ready.

Ladybug surveyed the field of battle, itching to get in and provide more direct support to her team. She saw The Ox get hit with a shot from Fire Ant and immediately yo-yoed him up to the rooftop. Once he landed, she cast her Miraculous Ladybug and revived him.

"How are things going, Ox?"

"I'm having the time of my life! Did you see me get that one just now? _Bulls-eye_!" He mimed punching a Fire Ant. "Anyway, gotta get back to the fight! Keep up the good work!"

Ladybug watched him go and shook her head, chuckling to herself. She had a feeling that this was going to be the topic of conversation around the dinner table for _months_ to come.

Suddenly, an orange blur shot from the sky and tackled Volpina. When the dust cleared, Ladybug saw that the orange blur had a mane of reddish-brown hair with white tips, ears, a tail, and had a flute holstered across her back.

"That's… but it _can't_ be!"

"It certainly is, Ladybug." Nooroo drifted in her field of view. "I've been used to create monsters for far too long. It's about time that I created a champion, don't you agree?"

"But… how can there be a Volpina and a Rena Rouge at the same time? Did you steal the Fox Miraculous from her?"

"I didn't. Rena Rouge exists because of my power."

"OK, then I should ask how can there be Fire Ant and Rena Rouge at the same time? If Rena Rouge is an akuma, then there should only be one at a time, right?"

"Gabriel never grasped the subtleties necessary to have multiple akumas at once. He could stay transformed indefinitely after using his power, but he never attempted making more than one akuma without assistance. I won't be able to communicate with more than one akuma at a time, but…" He pointed out at Rena Rouge, who was pummeling Volpina. "I don't think we'll need to communicate with her directly."

* * *

Volpina rolled away from Rena Rouge and stumbled backwards. "How… _how_ did you get your powers back? I have the Fox Miraculous!"

"_You_ have it? I was wondering what happened to it." Rage bubbled up inside her, and Rena Rouge, for the first time, wished she had her akumatization from Heroes Day back. "How did you manage to get the drop on me? You send someone to do your dirty work, coward?"

"No, I came and got it myself! Just a little akuma magic, and poor Rena Rouge was no more!"

"Well, now the shoe is on the other foot, Volpina! You've got the Miraculous, and I've got the strength of a butterfly behind me! But most important… I hate your guts. And that's all the motivation I need!" She lunged at Volpina and clawed at the Fox Miraculous around her neck, and Volpina grabbed her flute and curled up into a ball to protect herself. She brought the flute to her lips and played a quick melody before it was violently yanked away.

They scrabbled at each other, barely noticing when they fell off the side of the eighty-foot tall building and hit the ground.

"Release her, Rena! She's not the important one in this fight!" Ladybug's voice called from behind her, and Rena Rouge turned her head. Ladybug was standing there, twirling her yo-yo, gesticulating wildly toward a horde of Fire Ants approaching her.

"She's the important one _to me_. Nice try, Volpina, but your cheap illusions can't fool me." She flung Volpina's flute backwards, where it passed through Ladybug and caused the illusion of Ladybug and the Fire Ants to dissolve.

Volpina screamed in frustration.

* * *

The Ox was riding the back of one of the Fire Ants, holding on to its antennae. The Fire Ant was careening blindly through other Fire Ants. He called out jubilantly. "_Steer_ clear of the Ox!"

Chat Noir grabbed one of the Fire Ants that was scattering and whacked it with his baton, immobilizing it. "Ya-HOO! Ride 'em, _cow_boy!" He vaulted off before the Fire Ants could attack him.

The Ox hopped off the back of the Fire Ant and punched it, sending it flying into the side of a building, where it collapsed onto the ground. He leaped to the rooftop and landed next to Ladybug.

"Hey, honey, if things don't work out between you and Adrien, can you date him instead? I love him so much!" He leaped back off the building before Ladybug could answer.

* * *

Something caught Ladybug's eye, and she gasped. Above the melee was a black-and-purple butterfly, floating away. She cast her yo-yo and captured it, then tried to see where it came from. Laohu was pulling her rope dart out of the back of a Fire Ant's neck, and it de-transformed into a woman before running away.

_Interesting… the butterflies seem to be somewhere near the back of the neck of the akumas. We'll have to… hang on._ She cast her yo-yo and pulled the body of Laohu up, summoning Miraculous Ladybug to clean her of the fluid and revive her.

"I think this is called a respawn, right?" Laohu grinned. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm… here." She gestured with her hand toward the melee. "I should be out there supporting you."

"You _are_ here supporting us. There's nobody else right now who can do what you're doing. Can I give you some advice? Bloom where you're planted. Now, what have you learned?"

"I think I know where the butterflies are. Can you get a closer look at the back of the akumas' necks?"

"Good. That's a start. I'll go after one and see if I can figure anything out." She put up her hand. "Don't worry. I'll be careful." She leaped off the roof and moved to the perimeter of the plaza, where she was able to sneak up on a Fire Ant and grab its collar. She hopped on its back as it frantically spun around trying to free itself.

Ladybug watched and waited.

* * *

Rena Rouge finally got enough purchase on Volpina to get her fingers around the Fox Miraculous. She yanked as hard as she could and felt the chain snap.

"_Finally!_ What's mine is _mine_ and you're about to get what's coming to _you!_" Rena snarled and raised the Fox charm triumphantly.

Laohu appeared behind a disheveled, suddenly de-transformed Lila. "Do you need help, dear?"

"Yes! I'm on the heroes' side! I'm one of the good guys! I'm innocent, I don't know what this… this _akuma_ is doing, but you have to save me! _Please!_" Lila grabbed her ankle and pouted.

"Oh! Well, then you won't mind getting treated like the rest of the innocent bystanders have been, right?" Laohu picked Lila up and carried her over to a small group of Fire Ants, then tossed her at them. "She's all yours, boys!" Laohu made an exaggerated show of washing her hands and walked back to Rena Rouge. "It's good to have you back."

Rena couldn't respond. She was watching Lila get picked up by the Fire Ants. She struggled enough that it wasn't a surprise when their antennas started glowing, and three of them spat venom on her. The Fire Ants carried the still, limp, and thankfully silent body of Lila away, where they dumped it unceremoniously on a trash can.

* * *

"I got it!" Carapace called triumphantly. "It's a tag inside the collar! That's where the butterflies are! Everybody… _aack!_" He collapsed as a stream of liquid hit him.

Ladybug whistled shrilly. "Everybody regroup! _Miraculous Ladybug!_"

The heroes met back at the rooftop and huddled around Ladybug.

"They're too strong!" Chat said, gasping for air. "We'll never get through them one-by-one. We have to take out the leader and hope it deactivates the rest."

"How do we know which one the leader is?"

"That one, I think we can have some help with. Nooroo, can you use a link with the akuma to find out which one is Mister Bug?"

"I can try, Ladybug. Give me a second, I've never done anything like this before." He closed his eyes, and a purple energy signature illuminated his face.

She had expected to see Hawk Moth's usual sharp, pointed, electric energy signature, so it was surprising when Nooroo's face was illuminated by a soft, round, lavender mask. Ladybug was so taken aback that her brain immediately started registering a lavender scent.

"There. He's over by the pyramid."

Ladybug scanned the crowd of Fire Ants and saw one with the a matching lavender outline on his face. "I see him. Can you release only his butterfly?"

"I wish I could, Ladybug… but part of the magic of akumas involves transferring the will of the creator into the host. That will has to be present in order to remove the akuma as well. I'm sorry; you'll have to find another way."

Ladybug steeled her nerve. "Very well. Keep that mask on. Ox, Laohu, Queen Bee, Carapace, Rena, Bunnyx… lure the other Fire Ants away so we don't get distracted. Do it without provoking a fight. Just land, and when they notice you, start backing away and they should follow you. OK?"

"We're on it, Ladybug."

The two superheroes wearing the Black Cat Miraculous stayed behind.

"I have a plan, and I need both of you. And I'm sorry in advance for what I'm going to ask. Lady Noire, you weren't there for the Tour Montparnasse battle, and Chat was only there for part of it. Let me fill you in. Miraculer was there, and she stole Chat's power and Cataclysmed him a couple of times, including right in the head. He fell over the side of the tower to the ground below."

Lady Noire raised her hands to her open mouth. "He… he _died?_ Chat, I'm so sorry…"

"It's OK… it actually wasn't the first time in these past couple of weeks that I've died. I'm glad I have nine lives… and Bugaboo's Miraculous Cure here to bring me back good as new every time." He looked at Ladybug and gave an exaggerated wink.

"When you die, it affects Mister Bug. He doesn't die immediately, but he starts becoming non-existent. The first thing to go are his powers. I think that's the window we need: he'll be effectively incapacitated and we can get the butterfly away from him then. We know where it is and it should only be a few seconds to break the object and purify the butterfly."

Chat twirled his tail. "Makes sense, but how do we plan on incapacitating him?"

Ladybug turned to her partner, eyes starting to well with tears. "About that…"

"It's OK, Marinette. I trust you." He dropped his tail and smiled: not the toothy, cheesy grin that Ladybug was used to seeing on him when he was especially proud of himself, but a smile that was sincere and could light up the Paris sky all by itself. _Everyday Adrien._

She took a step back and her eyes widened. "You know? When did you find out?"

"Just when Lady Noire and Bunnyx showed up. I knew who Mister Bug was since Hawk Moth's defeat. Knowing who he was and seeing Lady Noire's concern for him when she showed up… it could only really _be_ one person. I'm glad to see that I'm right. I'm also glad to see -" he waggled his eyebrows "- that we're still a thing six years from now."

"Adrien…" she started.

"When did you find out? I hope I didn't spoil anything for you just now."

"I've known for a few days now. Ever since the battle on Tour Montparnasse. The connection between you and Mister Bug was too strong to ignore. Tikki confirmed it for me later that night."

"So… you've known for a couple of days now? And you didn't tell me? And you still dated me on the other side of the mask?"

"Yeah… Kitty - _Adrien_ \- I just wanted to make your life better. You've been hurt so much, and you're always putting on a brave face… I know I played a part in hurting you by contributing to your father's arrest and _constantly_ rejecting you romantically… I just wanted to be there for you all the time, and whether that was as Marinette or as Ladybug, I could do that." Her voice dropped to a near-whisper. "I love you."

Chat reached over and raised her chin. "_Everyday Ladybug._ I'm surprised I didn't see it sooner. But you know what? This means we're _both_ dating our soulmate. And it's _each other_. I couldn't be more thrilled. I've loved Ladybug since the moment I laid eyes on her. And I've grown to love you as I've gotten to know you more. How lucky am _I_ that you two are the same person!"

Ladybug reached up and caressed the side of his face. "I think _I'm_ the lucky one, Adrien."

Lady Noire interrupted. "I hate to break this up, but we have a plan that we need to put into motion. Trust me - nobody understands more than me how much you two love each other. But we have work to do."

Ladybug laughed bitterly. "All business coming from the Black Cat. That might be a first!"

"The plan, my Lady?"

"I'm sorry, I thought I made it obvious. Once Mister Bug is incapacitated, I jump down, free the akuma, and purify it."

"But how do we incapacitate Mister Bug?"

Ladybug dropped her eyes again, then raised them. She could feel a tear escape over her mask and down her face. "We… we have to kill you." A sob escaped her lips involuntarily. "I'm sorry, Adrien."

Chat reached over and took Ladybug by the hands. "Hey… hey… it's OK. It's not the first time I've had to do something like this for you. Remember when we fought in Max's new game? Zombizou, when I held back those kissing zombies to protect you and buy you time? Dark Cupid, when I stopped you from getting hit by that arrow? Or Timebreaker, when I protected you from getting touched? Or even during Gorizilla, when I _jumped off a building untransformed_ because I trust you so much? This is just the same thing, except I'm not doing it in the heat of battle. It's a pattern for us, my Lady. I make the big sacrifice play, and you bring me back after saving Paris. The only difference is we're going into this with our eyes wide open. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I trust you. Bring me back. You can do it. _I love you._"

Ladybug took a rapid step forward and threw her arms around Chat, kissing him deeply. She quickly broke the kiss and stepped back. "There'll be more of that when we're done. I promise."

Chat touched his lips gently and smiled. "That was good enough to last me a lifetime. How do you want to make this happen, Bug?"

"I can't ask anyone else to do it. You'll have to give me the ring. I'll transform and Cataclysm you. It'll be quick and you won't feel a thing."

"No." This was from Lady Noire.

Ladybug turned to her. "Do you have a better plan?" She struggled to keep her voice even.

"Yes, actually. I can't stand to see you kill your boyfriend and partner so soon after discovering who he is. That's not fair to you, and even though you'll be bringing him back, you shouldn't have to live the rest of your life with that image. I've already got the Ring. You go wait by Mister Bug and I'll handle what needs to be done here. That way, Ladybug is already on the scene and we can get this over with quicker. We both get our Adrien back." Lady Noire smiled, and Ladybug knew herself well enough to recognize the nervous undercurrent swimming underneath the gesture.

"Are you sure?"

Chat raised his hand. "Wait… if I de-transform, you'll transform back too! Why can't I just, you know…" He waved his hand and pressed it to his chest.

"A Miraculous can't fight against itself. You wouldn't be able to Cataclysm yourself even if you tried. And since I was transformed before I entered this timeline, you can still de-transform without affecting me. As soon as I de-transform, though, we'll be linked. Trust me, Adrien… Marinette… this is the _only_ way. I've seen worse… _done_ worse in my timeline. I can handle it." She looked at Ladybug. "Let's hope this keeps you as unspotted as possible. Go. Don't look back."

Ladybug nodded and embraced Chat one last time, then squeezed his hand before walking to the edge of the building. The voices of Adrien and Lady Noire drifted over the still air from behind her.

"Claws in."

"Cataclysm."

She leaped down to the plaza and landed across from the Fire Ant with the mask still on his face. She wanted to look back, wanted to give some sort of signal… but she knew she shouldn't.

She took a deep breath and waited.

Suddenly, the Fire Ant lurched forward and fell to his knees. The energy signature remained in place over his rapidly fading face.

Ladybug reached into his collar and pulled the tab as hard as she could. This was her only opportunity to get this right, and if she failed…

She put her foot on his back and pulled harder and harder until the tab snapped.

A purple-and-black butterfly flew away, and Ladybug wound up her yo-yo. _Adrien… this one's for you._

She captured the akuma.


	34. Bug Out of Time

"Bye-bye, little butterfly."

Ladybug suppressed a sob as she watched the purified butterfly - the one freed from Mister Bug - ascend into the Paris sky. She knew what was supposed to come next. One Miraculous Ladybug was all it would take to end the hell that she had lived for the past few hours and the hell that Mister Bug had lived for the past few days.

But first, she had business to take care of. She scanned the plaza. The horde of Fire Ants was no longer a threat. With the initial butterfly purified, the slave Fire Ants were inert once more.

There, over in a remote corner of the plaza, was what she was after.

Lila Rossi's unconscious body was heaped upon a trash can, Fire Ant venom oozing off of her and pooling near the bottom of the trash can. Ladybug carefully stepped around the puddle and picked Lila up, careful not to get any of the venom on her. She made her way to a building and sat Lila on the ground, back up against the wall.

Rena Rouge had already reclaimed the Fox Miraculous. The small, round, purple jewel _had_ to be somewhere on Lila still.

"Nooroo!" Ladybug called, cupping her hands to her mouth. "Can you help, please?"

The sprite zipped across the plaza to where Ladybug stood. "Yes, Ladybug?"

"Can you tell me where Lila keeps the Butterfly Miraculous?"

"Yes, Ladybug. It's pinned on the inside of her left jacket pocket. Search in there and you should find it."

Ladybug thrust her hand into Lila's pocket and felt around until her fingers closed on a hard, round lump. She unpinned the jewel and pulled it out.

The jewel glinted in the sunlight. Ladybug cradled the Miraculous in her hands. It was hard to believe that something so small could cause so much grief. She wasn't going to get it out of her sight until it was safely back with the Guardian.

The reigns of Hawk Moth and Mariposa had come to an end.

* * *

Ladybug and Nooroo made their way back to the rooftop where she had left Chat Noir and Lady Noire to find Carapace, Rena Rouge, Bunnyx, The Ox, Queen Bee, and Laohu all waiting for her. Ladybug glanced at a small pile of dust, then choked back another sob. It would be all better soon. She just had to figure out what to do about the identities of Mister Bug and Chat.

The plaza was a wasteland, strewn with the bodies of Fire Ants and their venom.

Lady Noire arrived on the rooftop carrying the Fire Ant that Nooroo had identified as Mister Bug. He was nearly transparent.

"Where's Chat?" Carapace asked.

Ladybug and Lady Noire shared a glance. "He… had to go recharge after the fight." Ladybug said slowly, while looking at Lady Noire. "I'll make sure I catch up with him afterwards, don't worry."

"Poor guy. He's gonna miss all the fun! Why haven't you cast your Cure yet, Ladybug? What are you waiting for?"

Lady Noire spoke up. "Since the Cure resets everything, I've asked Ladybug to hold off for a second. This is unlike anything we've seen before, and we both believe we need some time to investigate exactly what happened to make sure that the threat is neutralized completely."

Ladybug nodded vigorously. "That's right! You can all go back to your homes now. Wait, let me collect your Miraculous first; that way I know where they are and they don't get stolen again."

She led Carapace and Rena Rouge away, with Nooroo trailing behind. They jumped down into the alleyway where Alya was originally hiding. Nooroo raised his arms, and bright purple bubbles consumed Rena Rouge. When they evaporated, Alya was left standing there. A white butterfly flew a short distance away and alighted on a rain gutter.

"That was quite the ride, Ladybug. Thank you, Nooroo!" She held the Fox Miraculous out and examined it. "It was _better_ than the real thing. Thank you both for believing in me and letting me make up for my mistakes."

"Alya, I don't believe you made any mistakes. Being a superhero is a heavy load to carry, and you shouldered the burden as best you could. Nobody could have known that this would have happened. Thank you for being loyal to us." Ladybug took the Fox Miraculous and stowed it and the Butterfly Miraculous in the yo-yo, then turned to Carapace. "And thank you, Nino, for taking care of our friend."

"Shell off." There was a green flash of light. "Wayzz, thank you! It was an honor to wield your Miraculous." He removed the bracelet and handed it to Ladybug.

Wayzz bowed to Nino. "You were a very worthy Turtle, Nino. I hope to see you again in the future."

Ladybug put the Turtle Miraculous in her yo-yo, and Wayzz and Nooroo flew in behind it. She closed and holstered the yo-yo. "Treat her to some ice cream or something. After that, I'm sure you're going to have a heck of a scoop for the _Ladyblog_."

"You know it, Ladybug!" Alya flashed a bright smile. "Max helped me get the credentials I need back, and Lila's been locked out. I've got a long day of writing ahead of me, and Nino will help me get screen captures from the news footage." She elbowed him in the side. "Right, Nino?"

"You know I can't say no to you, babe. Let's go!"

They waved and departed.

* * *

The Ox and Laohu joined Ladybug in the alcove and de-transformed.

"It's my turn to be proud of _you_." Ladybug beamed. She opened her yo-yo and placed the Ox and Tiger Miraculous inside, with Stompp and Roaar following close behind.

Sabine hugged Ladybug. "You did great, honey. I… well, seriousness of the battle notwithstanding, I had _fun!_ Although… I see why they chose teenagers to do this. I might be a _bit_ on the old side to be a full-time superhero. We can talk about this later over dinner. You can bring Adrien over if he's feeling up to it."

"Honey, that was the best experience of my _life!_ Did you see me? I mean, did you _see me?"_

"Dad, be sure to DVR the news tonight, I'm sure there will be footage of The Ox all over Paris… France… Europe… maybe even the _whole world!"_

"The _whole world?"_ Tom gulped. "Oh man, maybe I should work on my hair. You don't think I looked too silly with that ring in my nose, did you?" He preened and looked over his shoulder. "Did they get my good side?"

Ladybug giggled. "_Dad._ You did fine."

"Good. Yes, yes I did." He leaned forward and dropped his voice. "Hey, I heard your mom invite Adrien over for dinner. You can bring Chat over too if you want. I promise to not make it like last time."

Sabine smacked him on the arm. "_Tom._"

"What? I'm just saying." He failed to resist Sabine dragging him through the alley.

"She's had a long day." Sabine turned and looked at Ladybug. "See you at dinner, honey!"

* * *

Ladybug rejoined Bunnyx, Lady Noire, and Queen Bee on the rooftop. "Thank you for your help, Queen Bee." She gave Queen Bee a warm hug. "You proved yourself a hero out there."

"Anytime, Ladybug! Although… there's probably not going to be a next time, is there?"

"Never say never, Queen Bee. Never say never."

Queen Bee de-transformed and pulled the comb from her hair. Chloé cupped Pollen in her hands and whispered something to her. When she was done, she handed the comb and Pollen to Ladybug, who opened her yo-yo and placed both inside.

Bunnyx held out her hand. "I'll help you down." Chloé took her hand, and Bunnyx looked at Lady Noire and Ladybug and nodded. She Burrowed to the bottom of the building and was back in the blink of an eye.

"So… that's everyone, yes?" Lady Noire said. She looked around; there were four people on the top of the building. "Let's get this over with, and not a moment too soon! I don't want to find out what happens if he fades all the way."

Ladybug's voice was exhausted yet triumphant. "_Miraculous Ladybug!_"

For what she hoped was the final time that day, a swarm of magical ladybugs flew through the Louvre Plaza and over the building she was standing on. They seemed to take slower than usual and the warm feeling that she associated with their presence was masked by anxiety. If she weren't wearing a bodysuit, she was sure her hands would be clammy with sweat. Her heart raced as she waited and watched for the ladybugs to clear.

When the swarm moved on, leaving Adrien standing on the rooftop, Ladybug had to restrain herself from bolting over to him. Instead, she walked slowly, giving her brain a chance to process that it wasn't a dream - that Adrien was back and in one piece. Plus, if she tackled him, they'd both go toppling off the side of the building.

When she reached him, he opened his arms and she melted into them. "You did it, Bug. You brought me back, just like I knew you would. You won. _We _won."

She sobbed into his shoulder for what seemed like an eternity.

* * *

With Miraculous Ladybug restoring the faded Fire Ant back into existence, black-and-purple bubbles overtook him and revealed a young blond man in a red-and-black tracksuit wearing a Ladybug domino mask.

"Adrien." Lady Noire's voice was a whisper.

He raised his head toward her. "Mar… Marinette? Is that you? Is that _really_ you? Oh my gosh, you came for me! You really came for me!" He looked around as the ladybugs finished swarming the area, restoring the Louvre Plaza to pristine condition. He blinked back tears. "Marinette… what have I done?"

"Claws in." She felt the magic leave her body and instantly missed it. This was her first experience with Destruction, but she hoped it wouldn't be her last. The attitude and power that came with the ring was too addicting. She knelt in front of her soulmate and embraced him. "Shh. It's OK. We can talk later, in private. Right now, just let me hold you." She stroked the hair at the back of his neck.

* * *

The civilians who had been transformed into Fire Ants were making their way out of the plaza. Emergency services vehicles were waiting, and the civilians were being directed to a debriefing station in a single-file line. Lieutenant Roger Raincomprix was among those inspecting the civilians, and he pulled aside a disheveled teenage girl with long brown hair, bangs, and a reddish-orange jacket over a dark dress.

"Come with me, miss." He got a pair of handcuffs off of his belt and began putting them on Lila.

"_What?_ Why?! I'm innocent!" Lila began to struggle against Roger's efforts.

"Ma'am, we have video footage that you were the supervillain in charge here. We can get you for magical terrorism, stealing valuable objects, resisting arrest… just don't push me to find any more charges, you're in enough trouble already!" Roger continued to attempt to cuff Lila.

"This - is - _not_ \- how I wanted this to go! _Stop it!_" She wrenched her right arm from Roger's grasp and started shaking it. "I deserve better than -"

Lila fell to the ground, motionless.

Roger's finger didn't leave the trigger of his taser. "Officer, can you finish cuffing this young lady, please?" He motioned with his other hand to a nearby policeman, who finished the job. Once Lila was secured, Roger retracted and holstered his taser, then escorted Lila to the back of his police cruiser.

* * *

Adrien and Marinette looked at their older counterparts. They had assembled in a hidden room in the Louvre that Bunnyx had taken them to and were seated on a pair of old, dusty couches. Bunnyx had left them alone in the room and stood watch outside.

Marinette spoke first. "So… what exactly _did_ happen in the future? All that stuff about Ladybug being akumatized, Paris falling to Hawk Moth… you've gotta fill us in! Not that I'm saying all _this_ -" she gestured to the plaza "- wasn't worth it, but it would be nice to know what exactly we prevented."

"You better handle this, my Lady." Oldrien took Future Marinette's hand. "My memory isn't something that can be trusted anymore, it seems like."

Future Marinette took a deep breath. "I was akumatized. It took almost four months to defeat me. It was down to Chat, who defeated Hawk Moth. Hawk Moth gloated too much and Chat was able to get the drop on him and Cataclysmed him. It didn't kill him, but it injured him pretty badly. Hawk Moth finally dropped the akumatization and before I came to my senses, Chat had discovered who Hawk Moth actually was."

Adrien leaped to his feet and pointed to Oldrien. "_Wait a minute!_ You told me that the Cataclysm died on your hand an inch from his chest! That you couldn't do it! You… you _lied_ to me!"

Oldrien slumped and spoke quietly. "How would you have felt in the moment, after Cataclysming Mayura and almost Cataclysming Father? I was _protecting you_, Adrien. What would you have done if I told you that in my timeline I didn't stop myself, that Plagg didn't stop me, that I Cataclysmed Father?" He straightened up and pointed at his version of Plagg, who was floating nearby. "Plagg was just as pissed off as I was at Hawk Moth and what he had done to Ladybug. He was _disappointed_ that Father's Miraculous protected him! But if I told you that you were almost a killer, then all of _this_ -" he waved his arms wildly "- wouldn't have happened! You're free now, and this isn't your burden to bear. And, thanks to you, it _won't be._ I made the right choice in lying to you. I'd do it again."

"But… you knew." Marinette pulled Adrien back down to sit next to her. "That must have been _awful_ for you. How did you cope?"

Oldrien sighed. "I couldn't just turn him in. He promised that he would turn over a new leaf if I kept him out of prison, so I kept the Butterfly Miraculous hidden in my bedroom. Father generally _was _a better person, but there was still a dark side to him. The work schedule and keeping me mostly locked in the mansion didn't change - he was still protective of his son, of course - but he did talk to me a lot about my adventures as Chat Noir and how I felt about Ladybug. There were still periodic attacks from Mayura to keep us on our toes - Ladybug and I didn't know that it was Nathalie, and Father certainly wasn't telling. That all changed, though, when someone broke into my room and the Butterfly Miraculous was stolen. It wasn't Father who stole the Miraculous, and whoever _did_ take it laid low for a while. It had been the one piece of leverage I had over Father, who really put the screws to me for the next couple of years. I couldn't prove he had been Hawk Moth, and he told me that if word got out that I was Chat Noir, I would be ruined. I believed him. Even though I was Chat Noir, I was still an _Agreste_ first, and, well… I had been raised to believe that was the most important thing, and stuff like that is hard to forget."

Future Marinette took the story back over. "Whoever stole the Butterfly bided their time. The attacks from Mayura stopped about a year after Hawk Moth's defeat, and things returned to what could be considered normal for Paris. Right when Adrien and I finished secondary school, Gabriel abruptly moved away to the south of France, leaving Adrien with a fortune and his blessing to attend university where he pleased. Nathalie went with Gabriel -"

Oldrien interjected. "Which explains why Mayura's attacks stopped. That was a connection I should have made."

"Yeah, that would have explained a _lot_. Mayura's attacks stopped right around the time Nathalie got too sick to help your father. He said that part of the reason he was moving to Provence was to help her convalesce. Anyway… we had been in University for two years when the Butterfly attacks started up again."

Marinette raised her hand. "Hold up - one thing I have to know - when did you two find out each others' identities?"

Oldrien laughed. "Oh, _that_… of course you'd want to know that. We started dating as civilians the final year of secondary school. There was no more real Ladybug and Chat Noir at that point, but we still patrolled about once a month to show Paris that we were still around - and it was fun, of course. One night after a patrol, when we thought we were both going away to different universities, we decided it was now or never. _That_ came as a shock for both of us, let me tell you."

Adrien burst out again. "You said it was an accident!"

"Again - how would you have reacted if I had told you the truth? I was only trying to do three things back here, and goofing up people's relationships wasn't one of them. You and Ladybug - Marinette - had to get together naturally, otherwise your relationship wouldn't be as strong. Imagine if you doubled-down on Ladybug and then Marinette finally decided to act on her crush for you? You two would have _never _gotten together. And that would have been a total tragedy."

Future Marinette took Oldrien's hand again and smiled. "Anyway, the attacks from the new Butterfly - they called themselves _La Falena_, and I think we can guess who that is now… or _was_. I don't think there will be a _La Falena_ when we get back. La Falena - Lila - discovered our identities somehow, so we wound up in hiding for a month. Bunnyx helped us get from place-to-place unobserved and come up with a plan. Adrien told me that he knew who the original Butterfly was, and we decided on a plan to come back here, save you, and get the Butterfly before it was originally lost and turn Gabriel over to the police, fixing everything that he had gone through."

Marinette spoke up. "So wait a minute... you told me something different! You told _me_ that Hawk Moth akumatized me, discovered my identity, discovered Chat's identity, and then took over all of France! How much of that was true, and why did you lie to _me?_"

Oldrien shook his head. "That wasn't Hawk Moth, that was La Falena… but if I told you that a second butterfly holder came along, you would have lost hope. I tried to keep you as close to a normal girl with a normal life, not a shell-shocked former akuma victim who wakes up with the night terrors with memories of the people she's killed screaming in her mind." He looked at Future Marinette, who quickly blinked a vacant look out of her eyes. "If we defeated Hawk Moth and captured the Miraculous, then hopefully _my_ Marinette wouldn't remember that anymore."

Future Marinette took him by the elbow and laid her head on his shoulder. "I never believed I'd see the day when _Adrien Agreste_ would turn into the biggest liar and storyteller this side of Lila Rossi."

"Sorry, Bugaboo… I was just trying to make everything better. And besides, dying repeatedly was really messing up my memory. I'm lucky I didn't do any more damage."

"I forgive you, Kitty. It's not like I haven't done worse myself just to survive the past few years."

Marinette giggled. "OK, it's _really weird_ seeing you use our pet names for each other. Now - one more question. Adrien -" she indicated Oldrien "- you said you had to do _three_ things back here. One was defeat the Butterfly. Two was get the Miraculous and return it to Master Fu. What was the third?"

Oldrien dropped his eyes and cleared his throat. His shoulders lurched as sobs started to rack his body.

* * *

"Adrien, what is it?" Future Marinette asked, putting her arm around him.

He composed himself and wiped his eyes. "Sorry. I thought two weeks would be enough to get it done."

"Get what done? I don't understand."

His voice was bitter. "Carry on Father's work, of course."

Future Marinette pushed Oldrien away gently and stuck her finger in his face. "Adrien, so help me, you better be talking about fashion design and not Hawk Moth! Were you trying to get the Butterfly for yourself?"

Oldrien took Future Marinette's hand in both of his and brought it to his lap. "What? No! No. I was… Adrien, you'll want to sit down for this one. I found out why Father was Hawk Moth."

Adrien held his hands out in front of him. "You told me that he was mad at the world for taking Mother away from him - I'm guessing _that_ wasn't the full story, either?" He put his hands on his hips. "Trying to protect me again?"

"Yes, I was, actually - he was trying to get Ladybug and Chat Noir to help him get Mother back."

Adrien's mouth dropped like someone attached a weight to his chin. "Try to get _Mother_ back? He knew where she was?"

Oldrien chuckled. His voice was grim. "Oh, yes. She's in the mansion."

Adrien tried to stand up again, but Marinette had her arms on his shoulders and held him in place. "Where? You're not telling me that he's kept her locked up or something like that?"

"No… she's in a coma. Sorry. This is probably hard for you to hear. She used the Peacock Miraculous long before Nathalie did, and long before Father used the Butterfly."

"Mother was _Mayura?_" Adrien staggered, and Marinette steadied him.

"I don't know what she called herself, but yes, something like that."

"Sit down, Adrien." Marinette guided him to a seated position, then turned her attention to Oldrien. "What happened?"

"The Peacock Miraculous was broken. She slowly got sick, and Father and Father's doctors couldn't figure anything out. He was afraid that the secret of the Miraculous he possessed would get out and ruin him and Mother. So, he built a… sarcophagus, I guess is the right word… for her to rest in until he could find a way to make her well again. She's been in a coma-like stasis ever since. The Butterfly kwami, Nooroo, apparently told him that combining the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous would give him unlimited power, so that's why he wanted the Ladybug and the Black Cat."

Adrien rubbed his face. "But, Oldrien… you came back here with the Ladybug Miraculous, and I have the Black Cat… why didn't you just ask me for the ring? You had to have known I would have given it to you."

Future Marinette whispered into her present-day counterpart's ear. "_Oldrien?"_

Marinette shrugged and shook her head.

"The thought crossed my mind, believe me." Oldrien shrugged. "But with the new Butterfly out there I didn't want to compromise the team at all. Plus, you were going through a lot and having Plagg around was good for you."

Adrien waved his ring while gesturing to Marinette's earrings. "Well, we have two copies of the Ladybug and Black Cat here… what can we do with them?"

"I don't know. I don't even know where Mother _is_, other than she's at the mansion. And I've been over that place with a fine-toothed comb at least five times over the past two weeks." He slapped his thighs in frustration. "I couldn't find her. I'm not even sure at this point if Father was telling the truth or if he just wanted me to be sympathetic to him."

Future Marinette put her hands on each side of Oldrien's face. "Adrien… why didn't you just _tell me_? We could have gotten your mother back without you having to do any of this."

"That's the thing, my love: by the time I found all of this out, it was too late. Five years ago, our time, something happened and… she died. I think that's a little under a year from now, so… she doesn't have much time left. There's nothing you _could_ have done about it. And, because I can't figure out where she is, _I_ won't be able to do anything about it either."

"That's not entirely true." Future Marinette stood up and looked at present-day Adrien and Marinette. "Are you two ready for one more adventure? Let's go visit Master Fu. Lead the way, Marinette."


	35. The End of Time

"Master… we did it." Ladybug opened her yo-yo and presented Master Fu with the recovered Fox and Butterfly Miraculous, as well as the Bee, Ox, Tiger, and Turtle Miraculous she had retrieved from the other heroes.

"I am very proud of you, Ladybug. And you too, Chat Noir. For many reasons, but primarily because you have truly cemented yourselves as a team after this battle. After today, there is nothing that you can face that will ever separate you."

Ladybug and Chat Noir shared a soft look then replied together. "Thank you, Master."

"As for your other three guests, may I suggest that you all detransform in order to feed your kwamis and allow them some rest. Even though you are all in a position to use your power multiple times, it's still best to feed your kwamis at every opportunity." He smiled.

The five superheroes de-transformed.

"Wonderful, thank you. Plagg, Tikki, Fluff, er… Plagg, and Tikki… there is food for each of you in my kitchen. Please take your time and eat until you are full."

The kwamis sped off.

"Now that we are alone, we have much to discuss. Please, sit down." Master Fu sat down and crossed his legs, and the others followed suit.

"First, thank you again. I know that for some of you coming here was a great personal sacrifice. And I know that for the rest of you, having the others here was both very difficult and very rewarding. I do not wish to keep you here long, but we need to make sure things are cleared up sufficiently so we can go forward with a clean slate." He gestured to both Adrien and Oldrien.

"The main thing that I wish to address is the problem of Hawk Moth. Having Mariposa captured on camera using the Butterfly Miraculous to create an army of akuma is both good and bad. It is good because the camera caught her de-transforming and there is no doubt as to her identity. She will be dealt with swiftly and justly by the authorities. However, her using the Butterfly Miraculous as well as a Miraculous that is known to create illusions strengthens Gabriel Agreste's case that he was either being controlled or was actually never Hawk Moth at all. Despite video evidence that he most certainly was, he has access to the best attorneys in France, and they will not hesitate to use this development in his favor."

Master Fu addressed Adrien, who looked pained, directly.

"Another development that works in Gabriel Agreste's favor is that by the time the trial rolls around, your counterpart from the future - Mister Bug, who participated in the battle that led to Hawk Moth's unmasking - will not be available to testify. Even though Hawk Moth was captured, it is a very real possibility that Gabriel Agreste will walk free very soon. Chat Noir - Adrien - you may find yourself in a position to have to testify against your father. I need to know if you are willing to do that. There will be consequences, both good and bad, regardless of which choice you make."

Marinette reached over and took Adrien's hand. "I'll support you either way, Kitty."

Oldrien put his hand on Adrien's shoulder. "Remember, in my timeline, he held me being Chat Noir over my head, even after he had the Butterfly taken away from him. It will be different because the circumstances are different, but I don't know if much will change."

Adrien drew his knees up to his chest and rested his chin on them. After a few minutes, he spoke. "I think I might know how to ensure he'll be better. And we may solve a different problem at the same time as well."

Master Fu interjected. "What did you have in mind, Adrien?"

"Mother was still sick when Father was defeated the first time, but evidence says she was getting worse by then. Eventually she died… but what if we got her back somehow?" Adrien's voice was quiet but hopeful.

"You will need to explain to me what you mean, Adrien. Your mother is sick? It was my understanding that she was missing."

Adrien, Oldrien, and Future Marinette took turns recounting to Master Fu what they had learned and discovered.

Oldrien concluded the story with desperation in his voice. "That's why I came back. I couldn't find her. She was in the mansion, I think. Is _still_ in the mansion. But I've scoured every centimeter of that place… I could never find her."

Alix blew a bubble. "Leave that to me. I'll be right back!" She went to the kitchen. "Fluff, _clockwise!_" There were two white flashes in quick succession, and then silence.

"You know something?" Marinette tapped her chin. "Alix can use her powers multiple times… I wonder if her soulmate is anyone we know?"

Oldrien and Future Marinette looked at each other and smiled. It was Future Marinette who spoke. "Actually, it's -"

A bright flash of white light interrupted her, and Bunnyx dropped into the room.

"I found her! Took me a while to time it right and stay undiscovered, but I figured out how to get to her. Just say the word, Adrien."

Adrien swallowed and blinked rapidly. "Oh my gosh, you _did it?_"

Oldrien had much the same reaction. "How?" His voice was quivering, either with joy or anticipation - he couldn't figure out which.

"Took me a while to time it just right when Gabriel was entering his hidden chamber. Thankfully, he was always facing away from me when I showed up. I'm sure I just looked like a flicker of light since he generally just stares at his computer. But I know how to get in there now."

Oldrien broke his dazed look at address Fu. "OK, so we get Mother, but then what? Master Fu, can you fix magical injuries like that?"

"I need to know the nature of the injury first. I've spent some time examining the Peacock Miraculous since you brought it back to me. When a Miraculous is damaged, the damages become imprinted upon the wielder. The longer the Miraculous is worn, the more seriously the damages manifest themselves. I'm sure you have seen that with Miss Sancoeur over the past few months as Mayura has become more and more active."

Adrien nodded.

"The Peacock Miraculous is the embodiment of _emotion_. I had some conversations with Duusu, and I was able to determine that the damage to the Peacock Miraculous, among other things, cuts through the heart of the Miraculous. Since the damages go to the wielder, it is the heart of the wielder that is impacted. Your mother, as well as Miss Sancoeur, are most likely suffering the effects of what is quite literally a broken heart."

Adrien gasped and Marinette reached over to rub his shoulders. "So what can we do, Master?" Marinette was wearing her game face.

"It is a question of how long your mother wore the Miraculous for. If it was a relatively short time, then the injuries will heal themselves. I am guessing, however, that if it was severe enough for your father to build a life-sustaining sarcophagus, then there might not be much hope. I'm sorry, Adrien, I speak plainly so as to not get your hopes up unrealistically."

"So you're saying it's too late?" Oldrien's face fell.

A pop of gum behind him grabbed his attention. "Look at who you're talking to. It's never too late."

"But wait a second… even though you know how to get to Mother now, how do we get her here and safe? I imagine that Master Fu's apartment doesn't have the power to run whatever Father was running… we really can't do much, can we?"

"Work with me." Bunnyx started drawing in the air with her fingers. "You told Adrien here that your father became Hawk Moth because he was mad at the world for taking your mother, right? Well, why don't we make it the truth?"

"What are you talking about?" Oldrien asked.

"I can just go back in time to the day before your mother disappeared and bring her here. We can assume that she's probably better off then than she is now, so Master Fu can have a better shot at healing her."

Marinette raised her hand. "Wait a minute - won't _stealing someone from a timeline_ really mess things up, though? I mean, this is different than capturing a Miraculous or returning a time traveler to whence he came…"

Bunnyx shook her head. "It doesn't change the timeline too much since your father still gets mad about your mother, except in this case she's actually missing instead of in some sort of secret chamber. The only thing that will change is your father's memory of the events. Right?"

"But what if things change enough that we don't defeat Hawk Moth? Or worse, he defeats us and gets our Miraculous? Isn't messing with the timeline _once_ bad enough? I remember reading a story by Ray Bradbury…"

"Who are you going to trust on time travel, Adrien? Some author, or someone who's been doing time travel longer than any of you? I've got this all figured out. Your mom still disappears, your dad becomes Hawk Moth, he gets defeated, bing bang boom. Nicely wrapped up in a little bow for you." She snapped her gum again, then turned to Master Fu. "You'll still be able to heal her, right?"

"I am a Guardian, not a healer… that said, the grimoire does contain many of the secrets of the Miraculous. If I cannot get her perfectly healthy, I should at least be able to get her close enough."

"Adrien… is this something you want to try? We can't guarantee success, but this looks like our best option."

Adrien and Oldrien looked at each other. Oldrien nodded. "We both get her that way. When I go back to my own time, if this works, she'll have six years of memories of us together."

"But you won't, though."

"But _you will_. And that will have to be good enough for me. I'm willing to give it a go if you are. I won't be changing my memories - I'll not have had this time with her. You, on the other hand… look at how much you'll gain."

Adrien hummed.

"I think you should try, Adrien… and I know I'm probably speaking out of place here, but I love you more than anything in the world. Ever since you gave me that umbrella at school, my heart has been in absolute free-fall for you. I'd do anything to help make you happy. I've heard you talk about your mother. You clearly miss her. I've never met her, but if we can do something to help you have her again, then we should do it."

Adrien looked at Marinette and brought his hand to her face, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "You have her eyes, you know." Without looking away from her he gave the all clear. "Alright. Let's do it. Bunnyx, do you have a plan?"

"Again… look at who you're talking to. We'll make it happen."

* * *

Future Marinette led the conversation. "Right, so Bunnyx gets Emilie the day before she disappears and brings her back here. Adrien, what was your mother doing the day before she disappeared? Do either of you remember?"

Adrien answered. "She was out doing something - Father never told me exactly but Nathalie hinted that she was out preparing something-or-other. Mother liked doing things for the family on her own, even though Nathalie was always there to help out. Anyway… that's the last I saw of her. She was out with our bodyguard and just… never came home. After studies had concluded that day, Nathalie informed me that Mother had gone missing and that Father would be assisting in the search for her. For me, it would be business as usual and Nathalie would be overseeing my schedule."

"It sounds like we have one more visit to make before we can get started, then. Let's start with Operation: Find the Gorilla!" Future Marinette wrung her hands in anticipation.

Adrien sputtered. "Wait… you know that I call my bodyguard _The Gorilla_?!"

"I mean… if the shoe fits, right? Anyway… do you know where he went after the break-in at the mansion? He probably knows where your mother was."

"He has an apartment around the corner from the mansion. You know… I never thought of that. He speaks so infrequently that I honestly never thought to ask him a direct question about it."

"When was the last time you heard him speak?"

"When I was eleven I caught him singing along to the soundtrack of _Notre Dame de Paris_. It's been nothing but grunts and grumbles ever since."

Bunnyx shrugged and looked around, clearly having more than enough optimism to share with everyone else. "Well, what do we have to lose? Let's go!"

* * *

Oldrien, Adrien, and Future Alix knocked on the door of the Gorilla's apartment. After a few seconds, they heard the familiar sound of chains being slid and deadbolts turned, and the door opened a crack. The bodyguard's eyes widened, and he pulled Adrien into the apartment before slamming the door in Oldrien and Future Alix's faces.

He picked up a phone and started pressing on the keypad.

Adrien reached out and put his hand on his former bodyguard's arm. "Wait, stop! They're with me. We need your help."

He looked at Adrien sternly, his eyes searching Adrien's face. After what felt like an eternity, his expression softened. He went back and opened the door, admitting Oldrien and Future Alix.

"Thanks." Oldrien smiled.

The Gorilla looked back and forth between Adrien and Oldrien, then slowly pointed at Adrien and then to Oldrien.

Adrien nodded. "Yeah, that's me, from six years in the future. We're on a mission to rescue Mother, and you're the only one who can help."

The Gorilla recoiled, the expression on his face clearly saying _Me_?

"We need to know what Mother was doing the day before she disappeared. She was with you, that much we know. We're going to go back in time and bring her here, where she can be healed. Can you tell us where she was, please?"

The Gorilla frowned and stroked his chin. "Shopping. Avenue Montaigne." His voice sounded like it should have come with a subwoofer, it was so deep. "You can save her?"

Oldrien spoke up. "We think we can. This is the best chance we have."

The Gorilla nodded. He walked to the door and opened it, signaling that the brief conversation was over. He smiled at them as they left.

* * *

It was a beautiful spring day. Emilie Agreste was shopping for a present for her son when suddenly, there was a white flash off to her left, and a tall woman with shocking red hair and a blue-and-white costume appeared.

"Hello, Mrs. Agreste." Bunnyx held out her hand, and Emilie shook it. "I'm here to rescue you."

"Rescue me? From what?" She fidgeted with the phone in her hand, moving her thumb to the _Emergency Call_ button.

"Relax, Mrs. Agreste. The Peacock brooch you've been wearing - the one on your lapel - is making you sick. You've been having coughing spells, dizziness, and fatigue, no?"

"How did you know that?"

Adrien stepped out from behind Bunnyx. "Because I told her."

"A… Adrien? But you look different… taller… _older_, even."

"That's right, Mother. It's been over a year since you got sick. We came back to save you. We know someone who can help. Please, come with us. We'll explain everything."

"What do I tell our bodyguard?"

"Just… don't tell him. Tomorrow you get so sick that Father… well… we'll tell you. Now, _please_, let's go."

Emilie dropped the blue scarf she was holding and followed Bunnyx back through the Burrow.

* * *

Two Marinettes, one Oldrien, and Master Fu watched three people climb out of the Burrow that appeared suddenly in the middle of his living room.

Emilie looked around. "Well. Um, hello there! I don't know any of you but… wait." She pointed at Oldrien. "You're definitely my Adrien… but even _older?_ What is going _on_ here?" She started coughing, and Marinette ran to get her a stool, which she gratefully sat down on.

The coughing spell lasted about three minutes, during which Adrien went to his mother's left side and Oldrien went to his mother's right side, each putting a hand on her shoulder. When the fit subsided, she looked at each of them gratefully. "Thank you. Now please, tell me… what is going on?"

"You're dying, Mother. The Peacock Miraculous is making you sick. It's 2019 right now, a few months after you get sick. I'm from 2025, and I've come back in time to rescue you. Tomorrow, you fall into a coma and Father puts you in a sarcophagus to try to save your life. He… does some other things in order to do that. It didn't work, and a year from now you die, never having woken up. We don't have a lot of time, and we've brought you to the Guardian of the Miraculous so he can try to save you."

"You know what a Miraculous is?" She looked at Bunnyx. "Ah, well… yes, I guess that makes sense. Guardian of the Miraculous? So the others weren't lost?"

Master Fu spoke up. "That is correct, Mrs. Agreste. I am the Guardian of the Miraculous. I need to speak with Duusu, please."

Duusu flew out. "Here I am, Guardian."

"Duusu, I need to examine you to help determine what kind of injuries your wielder has. Please, it will only be a moment. Mrs. Agreste, please lay down on the floor mat here. You others - please go get some tea. I will let you know as soon as I find something out."

Adrien, Oldrien, Marinette, Future Marinette, and Bunnyx all went to the kitchen, where Marinette got five mugs and poured some tea in each of them. They sipped in apprehensive silence as a series of low _gongs_ and quiet murmurings came from the other room.

* * *

Master Fu appeared in the kitchen as Marinette was about to make another pot of tea. His face was inscrutable. "We are ready. Please, come."

Adrien squinted at the Guardian's face, then followed him slowly around the corner.

Emilie Agreste was standing in the middle of the room. The Peacock brooch she had been wearing on her lapel was removed. But that wasn't the only difference Adrien noticed. In the past few minutes, she had become… well, _brighter_ was the only word Adrien could think of. She looked healthy. It couldn't be possible. After the weeks of persistent coughing, fatigue, and dizzy spells… was his mother… _healed?_

He ran to her and collapsed in her arms. He felt her hands in his hair and her lips on his forehead.

It was real. He had his mother back.

* * *

Oldrien and Future Marinette stood away from Adrien and Emilie, embracing.

"You did it." She kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Why didn't you tell us any sooner?"

Oldrien shook his head. "As much as I wanted her back… I didn't want to bring her back to… _that_ world." His voice was bitter. "Based on what we were going through, she was actually _in_ a better place. But now that she's here… she'll have a better chance at the future. _We'll_ have a better chance at the future. Our… um…" He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck, something Marinette hadn't seen him do in a long time. "Our _kids_ will have a better chance at the future. That is… if you'll have me?"

"Adrien… I wouldn't have it any other way." She kissed him again, this time on the lips, then pulled back and nuzzled his neck.

* * *

They were interrupted by the delicate sound of a throat clearing. "Sorry to break you two up… I just wanted to say thank you." Emilie put her hand on Oldrien's back. "I'm proud to know that I've raised such a fine, upstanding young man. One with what appears to be fantastic taste in women, I might add." She smiled cheekily at Future Marinette, who blushed.

"Mother… I'm so sorry."

"Shh, Adrien… don't apologize. You did your best and then when you could, you rescued me. There's no mother that could expect anything more from her son. You were wonderful. Are wonderful. Will be wonderful." She shrugged and chuckled. "I'm not really sure how to phrase that."

"Don't get _tense_ about it, Mother." Oldrien grinned.

"I see that your father's sense of humor has rubbed off on you nicely as well." Emilie smiled.

Bunnyx opened a portal. "I hate to break up the party, but we can't really spend any more time back here without changing more than we intended. Are you two ready to go home?"

"Wait… take this first, please." Master Fu handed Bunnyx a folded slip of paper.

She opened and read it, then nodded.

"I'll see you again, right?" Oldrien looked at Emilie apprehensively.

"Of course you will, Adrien. Thank you for coming back to save me."

Adrien wrapped his arm around Emilie's shoulders. "I'll take good care of her, I promise."

Emilie and Oldrien embraced warmly and kissed each other on the cheek. "I'll see you in six years."

Oldrien, Future Marinette, and Bunnyx stepped through the portal and the white circle faded to a pinprick of bright light before disappearing completely.

* * *

"I will leave you three to get reacquainted." Master Fu smiled, paused at the credenza, and departed for the kitchen.

Emilie took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. "So… now what? Do we go get Gabriel now? Where is he?"

Adrien and Marinette looked at each other. "About that… so, Father had the Butterfly Miraculous, you know that much, right?"

Emilie nodded.

Adrien continued. "He studied the grimoire and talked to his kwami, Nooroo, and decided that the best way to save you was to combine the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous. He was under the impression that it would give him ultimate power; in this case, the power to save you."

"So that didn't happen obviously… what _did_ happen?"

"Um… well, he used the Butterfly Miraculous to create a series of supervillains, hoping that the Guardian would release the Ladybug and Black Cat superheroes to stop him, and then he could capture their Miraculous and save you."

Emilie's mouth dropped open. "You are telling me that _my husband_, _Gabriel Agreste, one of the greatest fashion designers in the world, became a supervillain?_"

"It worked for Hobgoblin." Adrien shrugged. "But yes… he's spent the last few months fighting Ladybug, Chat Noir, and a few other superheroes. He did a lot of damage to Paris and hurt a lot of people, but Ladybug was always able to fix it." He looked at Marinette and smiled.

"I… I think I need a minute." She sat back down on the stool. "On the one hand, trying to save me is remarkably sweet and romantic, a lot like the Gabriel that I know… but on the other hand, you probably came to know a different Gabriel. I'm so sorry." She took a deep breath and let it out. "Where is he now?"

"In prison." Adrien tried and failed to keep the bitterness out of his voice. "He was defeated once and for all by Ladybug and Chat Noir, and the Butterfly was taken away from him."

"I should go see him." Emilie stood up, then sat back down. "But… wait a minute, if you brought me through time to save me, then… he never puts me in the sarcophagus, and… did he still become a supervillain? Surely he wouldn't have…"

"There's only one way to find out." Marinette pulled out her phone. "_We_ remember things how we remember them, but articles on the Internet should reflect how things have changed. Let's see what's different." She opened up the search app and typed in _Gabriel Agreste_.

A stream of search results immediately came up. "Gabriel Agreste design firm… Gabriel Agreste, Paris, Headquarters… Gabriel Agreste Biography… well, nothing seems alarming so far." She tapped on the phone screen and continued reading. "In fact, judging from his biography, he's here in Paris, and… _oh_." She looked up and smiled. "I think you'll like this." Her eyes twinkled. "Gabriel Agreste last week awarded his first ever Emilie Agreste Memorial Design Scholarship. The Scholarship, named after the designer's late wife, went to the winner of a design competition for students. The winner, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, was presented the award by her classmate Adrien Agreste, son of Gabriel and Emilie." She flipped her phone around to show a picture of the presentation.

"That's awesome, Marinette, congratulations! Also… the Emilie Agreste _Memorial_ Scholarship?" Adrien looked at his mother.

"I'd much rather be _presumed _dead than missing and buried in a sarcophagus somewhere… or actually dead, now that I think of it. Wouldn't you agree?" Emilie smiled, and Marinette could see exactly where Adrien got his looks from.

Marinette hummed. "So… no Hawk Moth… I wonder how we wound up with these, then…" She took the earrings from her earlobes and was shocked to find a pair of black studs with pink stripes. "_Adrien!_" she cried, looking at his hand.

On his right ring finger was a plain silver ring.

"_Master!"_ Marinette called and ran into the kitchen, but it was empty.

She ran back into the living room. The familiar gramophone that was usually on the credenza was also gone. "Kitty…" she sobbed. "Tikki… Plagg…"

Adrien ran over and embraced her. "Hey. Hey. We still have each other. Besides… you'll always be my Bugaboo." He kissed her on the forehead and held her close until her shoulders stopped shaking.

* * *

**Epilogue - 2025**

Four people sat in the living room of a modest Paris apartment. The sun outside the window had begun to set, washing the interior in deep oranges and reds. Marinette looked up from her tablet at the sound of a cry from the nursery - the nursery where their daughter lay in a crib with a stuffed ox and a stuffed tiger. The crib over which hung a mobile with bees, foxes, turtles, black cats, and ladybugs. "You know what to do, Adrien?"

Adrien got up from the couch and rolled his eyes. "Yes, Marinette… we've been over this plenty of times. I pick Emma up, rock her back to sleep while humming _Alouette_, and then gently place her back in her bassinet. I won't otherwise engage with her or stimulate her to keep her from waking up fully." He pasted a reassuring smile on his face.

Marinette blew him a kiss. "Don't be too long, loverboy."

"I won't… I promise." He fidgeted with the silver wedding band - the one that resembled the Black Cat Miraculous - on his left ring finger. He disappeared down the hallway to the bedroom.

Gabriel spoke up from the other couch. "He's a good dad."

"He takes after you, my dear." Emilie leaned over on the couch and playfully nudged Gabriel with her shoulder.

Marinette smiled. It was hard to believe that the "young, up-and-coming power couple of Paris Fashion", as the media had dubbed her and Adrien, could be so lucky.

"You're prepared for Fashion Week, then?" Gabriel asked her.

"Almost. Here's what I've been working on." She passed him her tablet.

"A red-and-black dress paired with a black-and-green tuxedo… each subtly reflecting elements of the other. This is an excellent design, Marinette. I would love to see the finished product. I assume Adrien is going to model the tuxedo?"

Marinette nodded.

"And who will be modeling the dress?"

Marinette flushed. "I was thinking I would, actually."

Gabriel held up the tablet in front of him, and looked between Marinette and the screen. He hummed. "I can see it. Red and black would look good on you. We'd have to teach you how to runway model. It looks easy, but you don't want to trip and fall and… what's the word you like to use?" His eyes sparkled with mirth. "_Disaster._ Right. Emilie will show you what you need to do. If you don't mind, dear?"

"Not at all, Gabriel. I'd be happy to."

Adrien returned from the bedroom and sat down next to Marinette, and the four Agrestes sat in the living room talking quietly for the next hour or so.

It was hard for Marinette to believe that she and her husband used to be superheroes, fighting her father-in-law over the power to resurrect his wife. She reached up and absentmindedly fiddled with her earrings, a habit Adrien had learned to recognize as her expression of thinking about her time as Ladybug.

He leaned over and whispered "Bugaboo" in her ear, which made her smile and giggle quietly.

Even though their past wasn't what they had remembered, both Adrien and Marinette recognized the force that had brought them together and sustained them.

She took Adrien's hand and squeezed it. _The power of love, always so strong_. _Miraculous._

THE END


End file.
